


Chasing You

by SaffieSkies



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Is Sunshine, Aged-Up Character(s), CEO adrien, Designer Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Eventual reveal, F/M, Fashion Show, Identity Reveal, Love Triangle, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Protective Luka Couffaine, Rivalry, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:27:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 115,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23753053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaffieSkies/pseuds/SaffieSkies
Summary: Now a young adult, Marinette has put everything she has ever earned and saved into finally owning her own fashion business. Her friends and family urging her to slow down, stop & enjoy life. But she is blissfully determined to put everything else life has to offer on hold in order to make her passion a reality.Except her duties as Ladybug, of course. Even without her flirty crime-fighting partner, Chat Noir - who hasn't been seen in years, as Adrien has been abroad in Italy.Even Luka has patiently waited for her to give him another chance. To givethemanother chance.But as the business she fought so hard to create begins to collapse around her, she turns to Adrien for help. And Marinette can't deny that he still hold a special place in her heart. Despite her trying so hard to forget about him.A modern rivalry tale, mixed with sinful new love, and ending with a reveal.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 190
Kudos: 255





	1. Chapter 1

Marinette sat alone on the frozen concrete stoop in front of a boarded-up building. Her handmade burgundy colored coat hugged close to her body. Although her legs, only covered in thin leggings, were definitely feeling the cold. Hot breath escaped her lungs in little puffy condensation clouds. A beautifully matching burgundy beanie covered her head and was pulled down over her ears. Although her ear lobes were still exposed, and they were numb. She hadn't knitted the beanie, but she had made and sewn on the little lacey flower details.

She resisted the urge to pull out her phone and check the time for the dozenth time in the past five minutes. She had an appointment. She knew she was stupid early. But the anticipation was eating at her.

She nervously tapped the low heel of her boot in the sloshy and dirty melted snow. Paris rarely got snow. And this little dusting had fallen in the night, hit the ground, and melted almost instantly. Now it just made for mucky piles to accumulate and freeze over, turning the pavement slippery in unsuspecting places.

She shivered and stood up. Checking to make sure her butt wasn't wet. Thankfully the low overhanging roof had kept the stoop fairly clean. She stepped out into the street, and looked both directions for a lady she'd never met. There were people on the street, but no one heading in her direction. In fact, most people had their faces buried in their coats and rushed to get indoors as quickly as possible. It was just that kind of cold. Wet, miserable and gloomy.

Marinette let out a heavy sigh that had nothing to do with the weather. She climbed the deep stoop and leaned against the door of the building. The building matched the weather. It had certainly seen better days. Her eyes glanced at the cracking and flaking paint along the trim of the door.

"It's only cosmetic. The bones are good." Came a small, high-pitched voice from her side.

Marinette did not need to turn and look. She knew that voice like her own conscience. The words earned a smile from her lips.

"I know." She answered softly. But she still had her doubts. This was the undertaking of a lifetime.

Glancing upward, she looked past the cracking paint and graffitied boarded up window. There was beautiful clear glass behind the wooden boards. She knew that. She had been stalking this place for over a year.

It was a small shopfront, with (hopefully) a small apartment on the second floor. The plaster was chipped and chunks were missing in large spots on the upper story, and the balcony railing was rusted out. Whoever had owned it before had left potted plants on the balcony. The long dead plants were overgrown and spindly as their naked branches had woven themselves through the metal and down the side of the building before giving up.

The roof was concerning. There were spots that looked bad, and roof repairs were beyond her expertise. She may, or may not, have stomped around on the roof a bit as her alter ego – you know, for science.

The lower level was the dedicated shopfront. With a single but large rectangle window next to the narrow entrance door. More graffiti littered the concrete walls. But behind that colorful graffiti, the concrete had been poured in a faux stone look.

The building stood wedged between a few other shops that had met the same fate. Visible 'For Sale/For Lease' signs were plastered in each window. However, these all listed major realtor companies and phone numbers. But not this one. It was still privately owned.

And while the major realtor companies had let the other shops wither and rot away, this one still showed signs of love. Someone was clearly looking after it, and keeping it from the same fate as its neighbors.

It had taken some time and minor detective skills to figure out who owned the old building. She had never seen the inside. And she could only hope it was as promising as the outside.

Reaching into her coat pocket, Marinette retrieved her cell phone and checked for any missed calls or texts. Nothing. And with a quick glance at the time, once again, she still had five minutes until the agreed upon meetup time. Maybe she should have stopped for coffee? A hot drink certainly sounded wonderful right about now.

Suddenly concerned for her companion, Marinette gently spoke out. "I'm sorry this is taking so long. Are you cold, Tikki?"

"I'm fine Marinette. Your scarf is very warm." The tiny Goddess replied from inside Marinette's satchel bag. She was so small that a scarf was plenty of bedding.

The Goddess remarked to herself that, for the many years they had been together, her Chosen was never early for anything. Being on time was even rarer. This place must mean more to Marinette then she dared to admit.

Tikki had watched Marinette work herself half to death over the past few years. Two, sometimes three jobs at once. Sleepless nights. Early mornings. The occasional akuma attack to make her already exhausted Chosen appear dead on her feet at times.

And while the akuma attacks had lessened over the years, (something that both Tikki and Marinette could still not figure out) Ladybug still patrolled the vast city at least three times a week. Acting as its secret protection.

She wasn't trying to play pretend cop. The Paris police department was an extremely capable group of men and women. But if she could prevent a carjacking, robbery or mugging by simply keeping the bad guys wrapped up while the cops arrived, then that was reward enough for her. And for that reason, the police respected her and had her back. Besides, when akuma's did attack, she was their only hope.

And also because Chat Noir was gone. He had been gone for several years now.

Not gone, as in, gone-gone. Just missing in action, if you will. Ladybug knew the truth of his absence. But they had both agreed, it was in the best interest of his secret identity if he just disappeared without an explanation to the public.

It had caught Ladybug completely off guard when he had approached her about it. She could still remember the raw physical pain in his voice.

It had been after an akuma battle, which had taken place the day of Marinette's and her classmate's graduation from lycée. Everyone had been all smiles. Hugging, cheering and snapping dozens of photos. Too bad a parent got overly dramatic about their child's big day and got akumatized into: Empty Nest.

Even Ladybug rolled her eyes at the name. Akumatized victims just seemed to be taking their nicknames straight from psychology textbooks these days. Still, Empty Nest managed to send the afternoon into a panic as she swallowed people up into her protective cocoon. Which was ironically shaped like a bird's nest.

It took Ladybug and Chat Noir a hot minute to defeat her and calm the poor woman down. Although even with Ladybug's powers, the graduation ceremony was pretty much ruined. Oh well. There would be many afterparties to look forward to.

As Ladybug pushed her fist towards Chat Noir for their traditional salute farewell, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a tight hug. Not uncharacteristic of him. But his next words made her physically shiver.

"Can we talk?" he whispered into her ear. Her voice so serious that it scared her.

There were still tons of people around. They couldn't talk here. Let alone the fact that both their Miraculous' were beeping.

"Bell tower. Notre-Dame." She whispered back. "One hour."

He nodded casually and leapt away without another word, leaving Ladybug standing there with worry growing in her chest.

When they reconnected that short hour later, Chat Noir was already waiting and she was late, but sincerely apologetic.

They exchanged casual pleasantries which felt awkward and made the air tense. After about the third long and awkward silence, Ladybug finally asked him what was wrong. Because it was painfully clear that her partner was in distress.

Chat Noir cleared his throat to speak. Although that only served to steal the words from his lips. He tried again, managing to squeak out a few words of utter nonsense. And that earned him a gentle hand on his shoulder from his beloved Lady.

"You're starting to scare me. What's wrong?" she asked.

His bottom lip began to quiver, so he bit it. Hard.

For perhaps the first time, Ladybug watched as Chat Noir struggled to find his words.

Eyes cast downward; he finally spoke. "I don't know how to tell you this without revealing things about me… The real me." His emerald gaze shifted to stare at her. Hoping that she would give him the okay to speak plainly.

Ladybug swallowed hard. "I guess just break it down slowly?" she suggested. "Keep it simple. Not too many details." She always had a way of explaining things that made it sound so easy. But that was his Lady: beauty, brains, and an uncanny ability to see the bigger picture in everything.

Chat Noir sighed. It could never be simple. Not with her. He had a thousand things he wanted to say to her. And yet, every time he looked at her, truly looked at her, he still saw her as something unachievable. Not because she was undesirable, but because he felt like he didn't deserve her.

Choking his heart down once again to rot in his belly, he covered her hand on his shoulder with his own. Giving it a gentle squeeze.

He took a deep, calming breath. Skipping the details, he decided to go with the darkest truth.

"I'm leaving Paris."

He hesitated to say more. Waiting for her to say something in response.

Truthfully, it took Ladybug a few long and agonizing seconds to realize just what he was saying and what it meant to her.

"Forever?" she asked, keeping her voice steady.

"I don't know." He answered. Truly, he didn't. But it would certainly be for a long time.

Adrien Agreste was being forced to move to Milan, Italy to attend university and continue his illustrious career as a model of his father's brand. But he couldn't tell her that.

Not matter how much Adrien had begged and pleaded with his Father about this. The decision was being made for him. Family and pride above all else. Even his own son's happiness.

Ladybug squeezed his hand, and the action brought his attention out of his own thoughts and back to her.

"When?" she asked. She could only keep her questions simple. Her mind was racing now and her heart was sad.

"A month, maybe more." He pinched his eyes shut with gathering emotion that threatened to spill over. He felt his resolve weakening. The next words spoken would be purely out of desolation. He couldn't hold them back. Not now.

"Bug… I… I'm so…"

"Stop. Don't say another word." She told him. Her voice gentle but firm. It held the strength that he wished he had.

She pulled her hand out of his and rubbed his arm soothingly. "It's going to be okay, Chat. I promise."

"But… Paris… the akumas… Hawkmoth…" He babbled.

He really wanted to say, What about you? What about us? Will you miss me? What am I to do without you?

"We'll manage. We have other allies." She smiled dully – trying to believe her own words. "Don't worry about Paris. She's tough."

He choked down a dry laugh at her little joke. It was as if she knew what he was thinking. Yeah, Paris was tough. She was tougher. She never really needed him.

But he wanted it to be them, together. He wanted to believe that this would go on forever. That, one day, she would be his? Perhaps he was that naïve in thinking so?

Seeing him so sad, Ladybug felt it was right to tell him more.

"It won't be the same without you Chat Noir."

He hung his head in disbelief, but she tilted her own head and leaned down to peer underneath his blonde bangs. "Truly. It won't." she added.

He chuckled dully and lifted his face back to hers. Wanting to believe her but still so upset and torn that it ached.

"We are partners, Chat Noir. And we'll always be partners. You leaving doesn't change that. I swear."

He had nothing else left to say. Well, actually he did. But he would probably never say it. It was better that way. So instead, he extended a weak fist towards her and forced a flirty smile to his lips.

"I'll hold you to that… bugaboo."

She sighed. But even the tone of her sigh was filled with relief and a hint of humor. She bumped his fist.

"Silly kitty."

And so, within the next few weeks, Paris started to see less and less of Chat Noir. Until, eventually, he disappeared altogether. The rumors of his absence spread like wildfire, and did not stop for several more months. Adrien found himself chuckling at the headlines as he settled into his new apartment. Oh, how he wished he could tease Ladybug about these. The puns were almost writing themselves.

Nevertheless, time did pass. Although, Marinette had to admit, the years without Chat Noir by her side had been, well, lonely. And while she trusted the other miraculous holders, because they were indeed some of her best friends, Chat Noir had been special. Special in many strange ways, but special to her.

First of all, besides herself, he had been the only other person Master Fu deemed worthy to have a miraculous outright. That had made their relationship quite distinct from the beginning. Their partnership felt more real because they had shared in the same struggles. The same double life drama.

Additionally, Master Fu had not asked for Chat Noirs miraculous to be returned when he left. Which always gave Ladybug a little bit of hope that he would return. Maybe one day. But now, years later, she could only send him positive thoughts, and continue to work on with her own life.

And, at pressing moments, Ladybug did call upon her former classmates to take up their own masked identities and help her. Mostly only Carapace and Rena Rouge. As Alya's and Marinette's friendship had withstood the test of time. And Alya's and Nino's romantic relationship was constantly on and off. Mostly on. They loved each other. But, like most of the people they knew, they were both struggling with their lives and starting their careers.

Alya was interning at the local news station. Her dream of being a reporter growing grimmer with every cup of coffee she fetched. The pay was abysmal. But, ever the entrepreneur, she had gained a decent following on social media with her vlogs about local events, politics, gossip, and yes… Ladybug. That side work made her day job bearable. Although it did not pay the bills.

Nino had pursued his career as a DJ. But without fame and a world renown reputation, he was stuck doing weddings, kids birthday parties, and the random corporate event. He made decent money when he got gigs. But he was in a perpetual state of 'on call' status. Which is a strange way to live your life.

As for Marinette, she worked so hard in order to save every penny she earned. In the hopes that her three jobs would turn into a single career. Her dream career. This shop being a gigantic milestone in Marinette's beginning of achieving that goal. But a huge undertaking.

Although, as Tikki nuzzled herself back down into Marinette's beautiful hand-made scarf, she felt the pains of guilt. It wasn't fair that Marinette had to lead this double life. Her own life was hectic enough as she tried to pursue her passions. Adding being Ladybug to the mix was draining her.

And yet, Marinette's smile and kindness towards others never faltered. Which was something Tikki truly admired about the young woman. She had amazing courage and a generous heart. Rarely selfish and painstakingly stubborn. She never complained about being Ladybug, or the ramifications of it impacting her own life.

Truthfully, Tikki hadn't expected this war with Hawkmoth, and the various other pop-up villains, to last for so long. And while Hawkmoth's presence had indeed diminished a bit, he was still out there. The moth miraculous was still under his control. And the peacock miraculous was still missing.

But, for now, she was content to be a part of Marinette's adult life. There certainly was never a dull moment.

Marinette pulled out her phone again. It was three minutes past the hour.

Her fingers brushed the screen, pulling up her recent calls. But she hesitated. Should she call? Or was that too rude? It was only three minutes. God she was so nervous. The waiting was killing her. She had to be at work after this appointment.

Oh god, but what if the land-lady never showed? What if she backed out of their meeting? What if she was having second thoughts? Marinette would never find a building this inexpensive to rent, let alone in such a decent neighborhood. She may never get to open her business. She had her heart set on this building. If she didn't get it… No, she couldn't think about that right now. She didn't have a second choice. As the saying goes, all her eggs were in this one basket.

Marinette took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making a dense vapor cloud in front of her face. She watched the cloud dissipate up into the sky and her eyes scanned the rooftops way above. The city looked so different from down here versus up there. Up there, she could see beyond the skyline to the world beyond. Having never left Paris, she could not even begin to imagine life outside of this amazing city. And yet, from down here, it was almost suffocating.

The sound of footsteps approaching brought her gaze back down as she turned her head in the direction of the sound.

An older woman stood just a ways in front of her. She had deep, dark bags under her wrinkled eyes and her greying hair was scooped back in a disheveled bun, allowing for multiple stringy pieces to fly free. Her tiny lipped mouth was in a resting perpetual scowl.

She was wrapped in a patchwork blanket that looked like it belonged on the back of a couch. Her feet were stuffed into toe-less slippers, and mismatched socks poked through.

"Madame Gelinas?" Marinette asked, breaking the awkward silence.

The woman's eyes narrowed into slits. She honestly didn't think the girl had been serious in seeing this place. Let alone be so young, and full of that youthful glow that made her instantly feel her age.

She reached into the pocket of her robe and retrieved a single metal key while shuffling forward. Still without saying a single word.

Marinette stepped aside and let the woman pass and go up to the door and begin to unlock it.

Marinette chewed on her bottom lip out of nervousness. Trying to stay calm and respectful, she spoke again, "Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me today. I really appreciate…"

The wood door opened inward with a deafening squeak of hinges, and a wave of stale dusty air, struck Marinette in the face.

"There's no heat." Ms. Gelinas told her bleakly as she huffed into the dark room.

Marinette took a deep steadying breath, and followed after her. Her low-heeled boots tapped dully on the linoleum floor.

The room was too dark to see anything, so she retrieved her cell phone and turned on the flashlight. Once light hit the sleeping room, she took large, excited steps into the space and felt her heart skip several beats.

The walls were unfinished and rough. Thick cobwebs decorated the corners. The exposed concrete giving way to reveal peeks of dark grey chiseled stone. The notched walls led up to a delightfully pointed high ceiling. Huge exposed beams ran the length of the space. Perfect for hanging paper lanterns or flowers or twinkle lights.

"No AC either." Ms. Gelinas barked at her.

Marinette aimed her flashlight down. The linoleum floor was bucking and bubbling in places, but the geometric pattern was subtle and pretty. To her delight, the linoleum only went a few feet past the entrance, before turning into wide planked discolored wood floors. There were deep knots, cracks and puncture spots. They creaked with every step, and the nails were rough and dangerous to bare feet. But they were worn smooth due to years of foot traffic.

Marinette's light traveled to the boarded-up front window, which had a lovely wide window seat. It could definitely fit a mannequin and still have space to see in. Along the far wall was a built-in worksurface or it could even be a countertop. It was deep and very solid. No cabinet storage underneath, but that was easy to fix.

She padded towards the back of the room, passing a split staircase, to find a small bathroom. No tub. And it had an open shower (i.e. no curtain or glass door), just a showerhead on a detachable wand. The floor was mildewed black and gross, with a visible drain in the middle of the muck.

"Hope you like cold showers."

Marinette heard everything she was saying, but really wasn't actually hearing it. Her mind was go a thousand miles an hour at the possibilities. She left the bathroom and walked back into the main space and glanced at the stairs.

"May I?" she asked, pointing upwards.

Ms. Gelinas waved her on and did not follow.

The stairs were deep and uneven, but they were solid concrete. So, there was no fixing that. Just something to get used to.

There was a small landing at the top, and then two doors. One was coming off of its hinges. The other, leaning precariously against the wall. The first led to a small open room with its own tiny window that opened with an oxidized brass crank. Perfect for a bedroom. The other room had a large and deep sink, and nothing else. Not even a toilet. Oh well, guess she would have to go up and down the stairs each time.

Taking a small breath, she took a moment to take it all in. She imagined herself living here. Working here. A huge smile instantly creeped across her face. Yes. Yes, it was perfect. Perfect for her. Her friends already called her crazy. They would probably call her insane for taking this on. But Marinette could see the potential surrounding the little space. This would be her legacy.

She made quickly for the stairs and, in her haste, her heel went directly through the wood floor. Making a foot-sized hole in the boards.

Well, now she had to take it. She was already leaving her mark.

Going back downstairs, she met Ms. Gelinas, who hadn't moved much and still looked irritated.

Marinette smiled pleasantly towards her. "I really love it." She exclaimed happily as she walked towards the woman excitedly.

Ms. Gelinas raised a single thin eyebrow in her direction.

"It'll be a thousand a month. I'll need first and last up front."

Marinette's brow furrowed in confusion. "I-I thought you said… nine hundred… on the phone."

"I know what I said." The woman remarked.

Marinette swallowed hard. She was not expecting the woman to back-pedal on her initial offer. She felt a ball of anxiety build in her belly. Nervously, she began to weakly negotiate.

"W-What if I do all the repairs myself? I'll paint, clean… Replace the… erm… " The everything.

Ms. Gelinas gave her a dark look, but let it go. "You'll be living here… alone?"

Marinette nodded. "Just me, yes. I want to open a little shop here." Her arm gestured to the space they were standing in. "And I'll live upstairs."

"What kind of shop?"

"A boutique. For clothes, accessories, and the like. I'm into fashion."

"Uh-huh." She answered nonchalantly, not really caring.

She gave Marinette a look from head to toe and made another demand. The girl looked way too vanilla to try and deal with anything illegal in nature.

"No animals. Of any kind."

"Yes, I promise." She agreed. Thinking that she was wearing the woman down on her sudden increased price. Marinette hoped so. She couldn't afford that price.

"Not even a fish in a bowl."

Marinette chuckled slightly, but then realized the lady was being serious. So she stopped instantly.

"Yep, not even fish. Promise." She echoed.

Ms. Gelinas eyed her suspiciously. The girl was borderline insane for taking this on. But if she agreed to do all the repairs, then she might actually stand to gain something from their relationship. Goodness knows she didn't have the blind enthusiasm for home renovations. Maybe in her youth. Once upon a time ago.

Although she recognized that glint in the girl's eye. That blind faith in oneself. She could remember feeling that way about her own career. And she had let it consume all her good years. Sure, she had money now as a result of her business decisions. But she was alone.

Snapping back, she reached into her bra strap and revealed a torn slip of paper.

"Rent is due on the first of the month. Cash only. No excuses." She handed the paper to Marinette. "My address."

Marinette took the paper and nodded her head slowly. "Oh! Thank you. T-Thank you so much!"

Ms. Gelinas turned and headed for the door and Marinette hurried to catch up. The older woman moved surprisingly quickly when she wanted to.

"I'll have my attorney draw up the lease. I'll call you in a few days when it's done." She called as she opened the door and propping it open with her slippered foot.

Marinette took the cue and walked past her and back out into the cold day. She was so excited. But she remembered something else to ask.

"W-We discussed the possibility of a lease-to-own. Is that still, maybe, still okay?"

Ms. Gelinas shut the solid wood door and secured the multiple locks. "Like I told you before, I'll think about it."

Marinette pulled her bag higher up on her shoulder. "I-I… err… I understand. Thank you."

The older woman turned away without a goodbye and started to shuffle her way home. Leaving Marinette standing before the building with the beginnings of a huge smile on her face.

"Nine hundred?" Marinette probed loudly after her, not caring who heard.

Ms. Geliinas didn't say anything back. But simply gestured over her head with a dull wave.

Marinette beamed. Her hands went to the top of her covered head as she took a few wild steps in a small circle. The shock and awe of what just happened stealing little squeals from her lips. Her heart faintly sung with anticipation.

Staring back at the building, she chewed on her lip at the task before her. But the ideas started flowing almost instantly. And she couldn't wait to get started.

Her phone chimed in her hand, an alert message from a celebrity gossip channel that she followed. She cleared the message away. She'd read it later. Right now, she headed for one of her many jobs. Which had graciously allowed her to be late today for this special appointment.

This job was actually the whole reason she first found the place. It was only a few short blocks away. She'd passed it on accident a dozen times before actually stopping to take a good look at it.

Boots sloshing on the wet ground, Marinette started power walking over there. She barely felt the cold as it bit at her cheeks. She was too excited.

She worked the front of the house at a butcher (boucherie). Not the most glamourous of jobs. But she was good with the customers and the owner was a friend of her father's. Mr. Cantin had fingers as big as the sausages he sold. In a few ways, he reminded Marinette of her father. Although while her father was a big man, he was a softy at heart. Mr. Cantin was just big. His face turned the brightest shade of red when he was angry or embarrassed. He was balding, but refused to shave the remaining hair he had. It stuck out above his ears in little floating wisps.

He liked that Marinette wasn't afraid to be around the products he sold. So, for that reason, he did most of the dirty work. He trusted her enough that she primarily handled ringing up customers and settled the register at the end of her shift. She worked hard and was on time, most of the time. She had also designed a new business logo and had it embroidered and stamped on all the aprons, to-go containers, bags and napkins. She was very good at the homey details that made his old business stay fresh and "hip". His words, not hers.

Marinette pushed open the door and darted inside to help keep out the cold. Stopping her muddy boots on the rubber mat, she looked up and found Mr. Cantin standing stoically behind the counter – the one place he truly hated to be. And his resting expression said that. Quite loudly. He just wasn't a people person.

Nevertheless, the man had managed to tie down the absolutely bubby and outgoing Mrs. Cantin. They had four children, ages two to fourteen. As they say, on the arm of every strong man is an even stronger woman, slowly shaking her head. Or something like that.

Mrs. Cantin had a heavy German accent that got in the way of her speaking clearly when she was excited or angry. And she drank more coffee than a normal person should consume. But it kept her buzzing around like a honey bee. Or, at least, that was what Mr. Cantin called her, when he was in trouble.

She was a woman with a strong stomach and completely without fear. She could, without a care, be cleaning and hacking away at an entire cut of meat while singing an aria of some German opera, bloody hands and all. She was only at the shop when her husband couldn't be. The four kids at home demanding a lot of attention.

Their oldest son, Craig, worked at the shop too. After school, of course. But he was at the "too cool for school" age, and hardly showed much interest beyond his selfies and social media following. Although he did like to pose for disturbingly silly selfies with whole pig's heads and vats of pickled intestine. So, he had a bit of a twisted sense of humor that made Marinette chuckle.

As Marinette lifted up the section of faux countertop to get behind the counter, Mr. Cantin called to her. "Back, Marinette?" He was a man of few words. That was just his personality.

"Yes, sir. Let me just put my stuff down, and I'll be up."

She brushed past him and headed for the tiny and cramped back room that served as an office/employee break room, stripping off her hat and coat as she moved. Mr. Cantin had cleared out a lower cabinet so she could store her purse securely. A row of oblong iron hooks for coats, hats and aprons was on the one empty wall. The rest of the wall space was tightly packed with family photos and framed newspaper articles. It almost looked like a detective's office who was trying to solve a murder.

The shop had recently celebrated its twenty-fifth year of being family owned and operated. It earned them a nice article in the paper and a steady pick up of business. They were a trusted and reputable establishment. Words that every business owner strived to hear.

Marinette grabbed her apron off the wall and headed for the front to relieve Mr. Cantin. Although, before he headed to the back, he did ask. "How did it look?"

Marinette beamed at him. It was the little things that showed he cared. It certainly wasn't a secret from him that she was looking for a place. In fact, Mrs. Cantin had been the one to track down the building's owner.

"Amazing." She said excitedly. "I… I think I'm going to sign the papers and give the deposit."

"Good to hear." And said and he left her alone.

Marinette itched to send a text to Alya and tell her the good news, but the front door opened and she got swept up in a rush of customers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She worked the rest of the day and got ready to leave for home. It was getting darker later this time of year. And the sky still lit but casting evening shadows.

Home, at the moment, was still in her childhood bedroom of her parent's house. Tom and Sabine never pressured Marinette to move out. Truth be told, they loved having their only daughter around. When she could, Marinette did help them with the bakery. Her parents even gave her a small salary.

The way they saw it, she would either be working for them or wrapped up in another job. Their daughter knew what she was doing – having absorbed most of her baking knowledge from her family pretty much her whole life. She knew things that the casual part-timer just wouldn't know. So, for that, and many other reasons, they paid her for helping them out.

Marinette even tried to give them rent money or at least buy her own groceries. But they refused every bit of it. They knew what Marinette was trying to do with her life. And while they couldn't afford much by way of helping her, this was the least they could do.

Although, Marinette just realized, she'd have to get used to not having homecooked meals every night very soon. Or at least until she could figure out a way to cook in that place.

Walking to the metro, Marinette finally got a chance to text Alya. Although she did not get a response right away. Which only meant Alya was still at work. Alya responded to texts almost immediately. Nino always joked that if he permanently glued her phone to her hand, she'd never notice.

Boarding the crowded metro car, she was fortunate to find an empty seat and settled in. She opened her phone and began to make a list of all the errands she needed to run.

(1) Turn the power on; (2) Turn the water on; (3) Internet; (4) Cable. She scratched that last one albeit reluctantly. Cable was a luxury. Maybe once she started making money. Internet though, that was a necessity. (4) Business license; (5) Insurance; (6) Moving truck; (7) packing supplies.

It was going to be an expensive list.

Sighing to herself, she closed the app and opened the gossip article she had been notified about earlier.

She scanned the words, caring more about the photos. And sure enough, about half way down was a candid paparazzi photo of Adrien Agreste. Looking dapper in his long coat and wind-tossed blonde hair. He had wide sunglasses on, but it was easy to tell that it was him. Never mind the fact that he was a good head and shoulders taller than everyone else around him.

The caption said, Hot hunk alert! Spring came early! Adrien Agreste spotted leaving the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Milan, Italy. Who could those flowers be for?

Marinette hadn't even noticed the small bouquet of white lilies tucked under his arm. Not that she cared about who he was giving flowers to.

She felt herself smile at the photo before continuing her scrolling. While time had indeed passed, and her schoolgirl crush on Adrien seemed to be diminishing, it still wasn't altogether gone. The man was indeed attractive. Heck, half the planet thought so too. He was famous enough now to attract paparazzi on almost every outing.

The fact that she had gone to school with someone so famous was a little crazy to think about. There may have even been a time when they would have called each other friends. Maybe even good friends. But that felt like so long ago.

So she, like so many others, just continued to stalk him from afar. With mild curiosity and fantasizing, she'd admit to that much.

Exiting the metro, she headed for home. Exhaustion suddenly weighing on her body. But it was still early enough to help her parents set up for tomorrows bakes. Prep work, as they called it.

Marinette talked excitedly about the building over dinner. Even though she yawned heavily into her spaghetti. Her parents were beyond happy for her. Promising they would take the day off and help her move in, when she was ready.

By the time Marinette laid down on her bed, it was after 10:00pm. She was showered, but her dark hair was still sopping wet. She just did not have the energy to blow it dry. She'd pull it back into a bun tomorrow. Her phone was charging and its alarm was set for the absurd hour of 5:00am. Her morning shift at a local independent coffee shop started at 6:00.

Tikki sat on the edge of her desk, finishing off a cookie. Marinette felt like she had barely talked to her all day. But if anyone understood what she was going through, it was certainly Tikki.

Even though sleep pulled at her conscious, she rolled over and faced the small creature.

"I'm glad there were no akumas today." She said sleepily.

Tikki wiped her tiny hands together, dusting off any crumbs. "Me too." She said happily.

"It will certainly be easier being Ladybug when I have my own place. No more sneaking out."

Tikki flew over and landed on her pillow. "You'll just have to be careful that no one sees you leaving out of the front door. You won't have a balcony to hide on anymore."

Marinette's eyes drifted closed. "This is true."

Tikki tapped her on the nose and her eyes opened back up, although only half way. "The building is lovely, Marinette. I'm sure you'll be very happy."

"I'm sure we will be." She told the little goddess. "You'll tell me if you're not, ok?"

Tikki's little wings buzzed with happiness. "Oh Marinette. Of course. It's going to be wonderful."

She watched as Marinette smiled dully and then closed her eyes. Sleep grabbed her almost instantly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few days later, Marinette found herself standing in the seemingly never-ending line at the City Facilities department. Deposit in hand, she was ready to get the utilities transferred into her name. She was completely zoned out, having barely moved in the past fifteen minutes.

The government building was about to close, and she had pretty much run here. But she'd made it in time to join the last group of people for the day. She had coffee grinds under her fingernails and chocolate on her cheek. But she hadn't noticed the chocolate.

Double shift at the coffee shop had left her with barely enough time to meet with Ms. Gelinas, sign the paperwork in a dozen places, grab the keys and then get downtown.

She had come directly after signing the lease with Ms. Gelinas and her baby-faced attorney. The kid looked younger than her. But she was pleased to see that her rent was only nine hundred, as originally agreed upon. And, Ms. Gelinas seemed more open to the idea of Marinette fixing the place up to her liking. Although, there was no talk of a lease-to-own written anywhere.

Marinette decided to let it go for now. Maybe when she renewed, they could renegotiate the terms. But negotiating had never been one of Marinette's strong suits. She needed Alya. Alya could negotiate her way out of a speeding ticket.

"Miss…?"

Marinette acknowledged someone was speaking to her and blinked a few times, feeling asleep on her feet.

"Excuse me… Miss?" And then a gentle manicured hand on her shoulder made her turn around.

"Hmm?"

"I just love your purse!"

"Oh." Marinette was mildly shocked by the compliment and stumbled over her words. "Oh, thank you."

"Where did you get it?" the woman asked. She was dressed in a professional blouse, pencil skirt and sensible heels. Her makeup careful and precise; highlighting her gently aging beauty. Marinette felt underdressed in her pink jeans, no makeup, and comfy sneakers.

"Oh. I umm… I actually made it." She responded shyly.

"You made that?" The woman remarked. Genuine surprise in her voice.

The line moved slowly and their conversation paused so they could scoot up.

The woman turned and stood a bit closer now, bending down to get a closer look at Marinette's purse. As if somehow in disbelief of the handstitched flowers and vines sewn on the soft suede. The chunky fastener at the top hid the zipper that led into the main compartment.

Marinette turned it in her hand to give her a better view. Tikki was in that purse, so she didn't want to just hand it over for a closer inspection.

"I'm in love the details." The woman complimented. "It must have taken you a long time."

"Thank you. I've actually made a few like this. I messed up a little bit on the back panel… here." She turned it over to point out a wayward line of stitching. Her sewing machine had gotten away from her a bit. However, if she hadn't pointed it out, no one would have ever known it even existed.

The line moved again and Marinette was almost next to the window.

Their polite conversation drifted to a halt, and Marinette went back to her own thoughts. She shifted the folder of hefty lease paperwork in her other arm.

She wanted to go back there straight after this. She was dying to see the place again. Get a really good look at it now that she had the keys. And then, she could actually start moving in. As soon as she got a break in her work schedule.

Trying to recall her schedule from memory, she thought maybe that she had next Wednesday off. Or maybe it was just the afternoon? She'd have to look at her phone, she couldn't remember.

The sudden realization of the previous conversation she had just had almost knocked her over. She'd have to get used to doing this. Branding herself and her fashion like this was the best way to draw up business. Shifting the items in her arms, she rummaged in her purse for one of her newly minted business cards. Tikki pushed one to her and gave her a playful wink.

"Before I forget. Umm, lets see… it's here somewhere. Oh. Right. Here, my card." As she handed it to the woman behind her.

"Next." Called the teller.

As woman's eyes scanning the card, they lit up in excitement. "Oh. How wonderful. Do you have a boutique nearby?"

"Umm…" Marinette felt a bit of awkwardness wash over her. Not quite sure how to answer that question.

"Next." Called the teller again. Marinette shuffled forward, not wanting to leave the question unanswered. But not sure how to answer exactly.

"Well…" she fumbled.

"Next please." The teller called again. Much louder this time and with irritation gathering in their voice. It was the end of the day, and they wanted to go home.

Marinette flashed the woman a professional smile. And finally opted for the truth.

"I hope to really soon. Follow me on my socials for updates on when I have my grand opening."

The woman smiled brightly and nodded her head. She was genuinely interested in this young woman's products, and liked that she had such a strong sense of purpose and entrepreneurship. Although, she was either incredibly naïve to this undertaking, or blindly zealous. Ah, youth. So full of hope.

Marinette scurried towards the window filled with a new lighthearted sense of excitement that glowed from her face as she put the utilities of the building in her name.

As soon as Marinette got off the metro and headed for her new building, she called Alya, who answered on the first ring.

"Alya, I did it. I signed the paperwork on the building."

"That's awesome. Congrats, girl." Alya said. She then said something but it was muffled. Almost as if her hand was covering the speaker and she was speaking to someone else.

"Alya?" Marinette asked.

When she didn't answer, Marinette repeated her name and then asked. "Are you at work still?"

"No." she replied quickly, but her voice was distant and distracted.

After a few seconds of silence, but with constant background noise, Alya asked. "Where are you?"

"I'm on my way there now with the keys." Marinette said, as she turned the corner and headed down the street where her building was.

Alya's voice shifted into a warm tone. "Oh, I know."

"What? You do?"

"Haha, Yep."

Marinette looked up and both Alya and Nino were standing on the sidewalk in front of her new building. Bundled up in the cold, but grinning from ear to ear. Marinette hung up her phone and rushed towards them. So unbelievably surprised that she thought she would cry. In fact, she did cry.

Alya hugged her and told her to stop, but that only made her cry more.

"You're a hot mess, girl." Alya teased her.

"Takes one to know one." Nino remarked dryly. Alya shot him a look and Marinette laughed through her tears.

"Can we go inside?" Alya asked. "It's freezing out here."

"You mean there's an inside?" Nino teased.

She glared at him, balling her hand into a fist and shaking it at him.

"Boy, I swear. You're crusin' for a bruisin'. Big time."

Could a casual threat somehow also sound like true love? Leave it to Alya and Nino to find that middle ground.

Marinette wiped her chilly tears away, still laughing at her friends, and fished the key out of her pocket. She took a few steps and headed for the door.

"Wait. Wait… Hold up." Alya interrupted her by pushing her back away from the door.

Together, she and Nino retrieved and stretched a piece of wide red ribbon out in front of the door, and handed a pair of scissors to Marinette

"Let's make this thing official."

Marinette held the scissors in her hand, and felt her world narrow and culminate into this one beautiful moment. Her teary eyes wavered between her friend's smiling faces. So thankful to them for this. She sniffed back her dripping nose and let out a shaky, emotional breath as she snipped the ribbon in half.

"I christen thee: Marinette Dupain-Chang Designs, Boutique, and Fashions." Alya cheered.

"The name needs work." Nino remarked dryly.

Alya threw her piece of ribbon at him. "You need work."

Marinette wiped her tears away for what felt like the hundredth time, and couldn't stop herself from smiling as she stepped forward and unlocked the door to her business. Whatever the name ended up becoming.


	2. Chapter 2

The heavy wood door opened with its violently squeaking hinges. Marinette practically bounced into the room. Her hands fumbled around for the light switches, but they didn't turn on. No matter how many times she flicked them up and down. Slightly discouraged, she had to remember that she just paid that deposit; it may take a day or so for the power to be turned on.

She took out her phone and switched on its flashlight, laying it on the built-in counter so that the blue-white light could illuminate the space.

The floorboards creaked under Alya and Nino's feet as they slowly walked in. Caught up in the sight before them. They both pulled out their own phones to offer more light into the space.

"Sorry. Power's not on yet." Marinette told them as she began moving around the room, opening the bathroom door and beginning a mental list of action items. Cleaning supplies were a must. She'd probably need to spend days cleaning. Just to see what she was truly working with here. That downstairs bathroom especially. Eww.

"Isn't it great?" Marinette called to them as she bounded for the upstairs. Wanting to see it again now that it was hers.

"Yeah…" Alya said unenthusiastically. "It's uhh… great."

Nino said nothing. He didn't dare. Although the pair shared a sideways glance at one another, speaking to each other without using words.

Upstairs, Marinette used her sleeve to clean a fist-sized hole in the dust and grime on the small window in the room that was soon to be her new bedroom. Peering out of the clearing, she could make out the small balcony below. To her disappointment, it was a fake. Just a metal railing and a small landing barely big enough for one, maybe two, potted plants. It was a faux façade to the front of the building. And there was no way to access it. Unless she used a ladder from the street below.

Glancing past the unfortunate sight, she looked downward into the street below. Which gave her a clear view of the sidewalk and her front door. Well, she could see who was outside and not have to come all the way downstairs. So, that was a plus? At this point, she had to look at the positives.

Pulling back from the window, the tiny ray of sunlight beamed in and illuminated the room. Getting her bed up those stairs and in here was going to be nightmare. Luckily, she was pretty certain it would fit and allow her enough space on either side to move around.

Her eyes shifted to the hole in the floor that her boot had made. Note to self, fix that. And be sure that the rest of the floorboards can handle the weight before she moved heavy stuff up here.

She went over to the other upstairs room. This one was smaller than the other. Somehow, she had remembered it being bigger. But having a sink upstairs was helpful. She could at least wash her face and brush her teeth without having to go downstairs. She stared at the blank chipping plaster walls, and wished for a window in the tiny room, before turning around and leaving.

She headed back downstairs to find Alya and Nino whispering to each other, but they stopped as soon as she got closer.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Wow. It's so… It's so…" Alya struggled to find the words.

"Doomed." Nino muttered under his breath.

Alya elbowed him in the stomach.

"I meant, dom… err… domestic!" he corrected quickly.

"Yeah… That's totally what you meant." Alya mumbled.

"Come on you guys. I know it needs work." Okay, a lot of work. She would admit that much to herself.

She had really wanted them to see it the way she saw it. The potential it had. So she did her best to convince them.

"But, really, imagine it with a good cleaning. And then a fresh coat of paint. And some curtains. It will look totally different."

Alya could hear that sad-happy tone in Marinette's voice. It made her put a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. A silent gesture which said everything that words could not express in the moment. The pair stood together and looked around the space. Nino left them alone to their girl talk, and went to take a look at the built-in cabinetry. You know, manly stuff.

After a long pause with nothing but the creaking of wood due to Nino's investigations, Alya finally broke the silence.

"You're sure about this Mari?"

Marinette look at her friend, really looked at her. She let the determination pour from her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"We'll totally help you out, okay?" Alya offered.

Marinette pulled herself away and went to go retrieve her phone. Nino was a few feet away tugging on the wooden cabinet doors, only to have one break off its hinges and in to his hands.

He looked at Marinette in a sudden panic, but she waved it off. And he breathed a sigh of relief and continued his exploration. Alya side-eyed him suspiciously, afraid he'd break something else that Marinette would have to replace.

Turning back to Alya's offer, she said. "Oh please. With your work schedule. You guys barely have enough time to see each other." She didn't mean to sound cynical, but that's how the words came out.

Alya put her hands on her hips. "Okay, truth. But still… This is not a one-person job."

"I'll be fine. Honest. I've got money set aside for some renovations." She was instantly wondering how much it would cost to add a window to that room upstairs. Also, would her land-lady allow it? She'd have to ask.

"And, I've have most of the household essentials thanks to my parents. The luxuries can wait…"

"Luxuries like a fridge and a stove? I don't see anything like that in here." Alya protested.

"I've got a double burner hot plate. And I found a mini fridge next to a dumpster that works great."

Alya raised an eyebrow. "You dumpster dived, for a fridge?"

Nino now had his head buried deep in one of the under-counter cabinets. Half his body gone inside like he had found a portal to Narnia.

Before Marinette could answer, Alya cried out angrily. "Oh for the love of God, what in the **_hell are you doing?!_** "

It took Marinette a few long and terrified seconds to realize that she wasn't talking to her.

Nino backtracked out from under the cabinets in an urgent haste and stood up fast, staring at Alya with wide eyes. Like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Nothing." He told her innocently. He looked over at Marinette, trying to avoid Alya's direct gaze in fear she might shoot laser beams out of her eyes at him.

"Really nice deep cabinets." He commented nonchalantly.

Marinette stifled a laugh and turned it into a subtle cough when she noted how livid Alya looked. She took a wide step back, getting out of the line of fire.

" _Seriously?_ " Alya told him.

"What?" Nino retorted in the same indifferent tone. He could feel Alya heated eyes on him, and he couldn't help but smile. Secretly, he liked pushing her buttons.

"Run, Nino." Marinette warned him playfully.

Nino turned to Marinette. He smirked. "Wouldn't matter. She'd find me."

With that sly comment, Alya took off with her arms stretched outward, ready to strangle him where he stood.

"No, no. I want to live!" Nino cried out as he ran around, trying to dodge and avoid her, all the while still baiting her. Marinette laughed out loud as they did so.

Alya and Nino had fun together. They always did. Even if they got on each other's nerves. It was fleeting. Their fighting was all out of love. Marinette could definitely see that. Although typically strangers found their feisty bouts a little… strange, to say the least.

And yet, on their many threes-a-crowd movie nights, Marinette would admire the two of them as they comfortably snuggled together on their small futon. Perfectly content with each other. Nino would gently kiss the top of her head while she scrolled madly on her phone – always the multi-tasker. Every so often she'd pull at his shirt, getting his attention so that she could show him something on her phone screen. Then the two of them would share a laugh.

Marinette watched them in these moments and couldn't help but smile to herself. A small part of her was envious. They definitely had something special. Odd, but special. It made her wish for her own stupid romance. Something just as silly. Just as fun. Just as easy.

She fidgeted with her phone, kinda wanting to text him. Just to see how he was doing. She opened up her messages and was ready to start typing, but stopped herself. Even reading his name made her stomach flip and her heart sink. She closed the app in a hurry, like someone would judge her for that momentary weakness.

She couldn't focus on this now. Too many other things were at the forefront in her mind. Maybe once she got settled. Then she'd have the time to be a proper girlfriend. Not this spastic, no free time, secret superhero, who only made things awkward, and lied so easily it was practically her second language.

He didn't deserve that. And yet, she wondered what kind of man would ever accept her for who she truly was?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Adrien stood with his back leaning against one of the dozen architectural columns that lined the perimeter of the grand hall. The high polished wood floors faintly glistened under the bright light of the glass chandeliers above. A large crowd of fashionably dressed people danced together to the booming pop songs echoing throughout the room from a series of well-placed speakers.

Those not dancing sat in small groups at large round tables dripping with multiple layers of heavy tablecloths and towering centerpieces of fresh tropical flowers. Finished and unfinished glasses of wine and champagne littered the surfaces. Along with forgotten purses, tux jackets, and pashminas hanging off of the chairs.

At the center of the dancing group, swaying back and forth together as if listening to their own silent romantic song, stood the bride and groom.

The groom was Andre – one of Adrien's fellow male model friends. He had married Angelina – a lesser known Italian daytime television star. Who had a hard time pronouncing Adrien's name with her heavy accent, so she called him 'Ai-en'. She had big hair and an even bigger personality. But Andre was beyond smitten and they had married after only dating for three short months. Dangerous, but not totally unheard of in Adrien's social circle.

Andre had somehow convinced Angelina to have the wedding back in Paris. Perhaps to cut down on the amount of surprise appearances or invitations from Angelina's very large and rambunctious Italian family. Despite that, there were still over two hundred people here. He knew a few people, but most were strangers. Making Adrien pleased that he could blend into the background and not be the center of attention.

He enjoyed watching as everyone danced and had a good time. He'd been to more than his fair share of weddings. It was just that particular time in life: early to mid twenties; young and full of energy; careers starting up and taking off; feeling ready to take on the world. All potential new and exciting opportunities in both life and in love. Only, of course, if you were anyone but him – who already had life pre-planned for him since childhood.

He was happy for Andre. Truly. At least he got to marry someone he loved. Someone of his own choosing. While Adrien was still technically single. He was not without the constant plague of potential matches of suitable women to have in his company. Only to date, and make the necessary social appearances.

He had to maintain a certain image. Young, hot and single. But also poised, elegant - a gentleman, hidden inside a body dipped in sin. A heartthrob with a heart of gold. It got him in with all the biggest names in fashion. He modeled everything from underwear, to high-end avant garde. And it earned him that celebrity status. Something that tended to follow him wherever he went. Even private weddings filled with strangers.

It definitely didn't stop people from recognizing him, or the occasional stray young woman to confidently approach him and ask: " _Balla con me?_ " (Dance with me?)

To which, he politely declined. While dancing was not beneath him, he just wanted to enjoy his friend's wedding from the shadows. Also, because women tended to get the wrong idea, even after only one, seemingly casual, dance. Or, at least, that was the impression he always got from previous encounters.

Recently in fact, a certain Lila Rossi had unexpectedly popped up while he was attending a charity fundraiser back in Milan. At first, Adrien had been pleased to see her. They even shared pleasant conversation and a friendly dance. She looked great in her designer, emerald colored, satin gown. And it was nice to reconnect with someone from Paris. That was, until the paparazzi cameras turned in their direction, and Lila started coming on to him.

The pictures that surfaced from that encounter were, more or less, uncomfortable. It fed his celebrity image well. But Adrien distinctly remembered feeling indisputably unnerved by her wandering hands, and lustful tongue as it had licked its way up his neck before he had pushed her away. Too which, she pouted and made a dramatic scene that, of course, the camera's fixated on.

Adrien left that fundraiser feeling like he had had a year of his life sucked out of him. And to say that these types of encounters were typical, was an understatement. It made him dread social functions. Which was another reason why he stayed out of sight at Andre's wedding.

However, he had danced with Andre's mother earlier, only because she had insisted to the point of practically picking him up and throwing him over her shoulder. The woman had worked for Agreste Fashions for the better part of a decade, and Adrien knew her well.

She had a quick-whit and sharp tongue that Adrien found delightfully funny. He didn't have to pretend to be his celebrity self around her. She'd been in the business long enough to know it was all an act. Tragically, she had lost her husband to cancer several years ago, and it had all but broken the strong woman. Her solace came from Andre – her only child and precious son. So, as time passed, they got through the loss together, and her personality came back. And Andre found Angelina.

Adrien knew she wanted to dance at her son's wedding. Her late husband would have kept her out on the dance floor all night. So Adrien did not mind in the least being her partner for a few songs. Even when she pestered him about his own love life. Teasing him about being "so handsome, but with no balls." Causing Adrien to laugh so hard, he tripped over his own feet.

As they danced, it brought Adrien close to the DJ booth tucked up onto the stage and half-hidden behind a velvet curtain. He caught sight of the man and let out a surprised huff at the person he saw. To which, Andre's mother teasingly asked if he was batting for the other team, and, if true, it was a damn shame. Adrien sarcastically told her not to blow his cover, and the two finished their dance laughing.

Glancing back towards the stage again, Adrien remembered who he had seen. He was 98% positive he knew him.

He had been in Italy for so many years, it was downright unbelievable to come back to Paris for only a few days and run into an old friend that easily. He wasn't going to let the opportunity pass by and not say hi. He really hoped that Nino would remember him.

He didn't want to disturb Nino while he was working, so he waited until long after the wedding was over. Which ended up being very late into the evening and nearly every guest was long gone. The bride and groom had long been swept away on a horse drawn carriage to their hotel and eventually the airport to spend their honeymoon in Capri.

Nino was breaking down his setup, yawning as he did so. His glasses hanging off the bridge of his nose, about to fall off his face.

"Nino?" Adrien called hopefully, approaching the stage and standing in front of it.

Nino dropped what he was doing, turning abruptly. He squinted at the person in front of him, adjusting his glasses back up onto his face. The stylish mop of blonde hair was a dead giveaway. Not to mention the fact that he looked like a grown up version of his childhood self.

"Adrien Agreste, holy shit." He took a few steps forward and jumped down off the stage, his sneakers squeaking on the wood floor.

"I thought that was you." Adrien smiled, extending his hand towards Nino, who took it warmly, and the pair shook hands.

"I thought you moved to Spain or something?" Nino asked.

"Italy." Adrien corrected. "Yeah, I did. I mean, well… I was. Actually, Father wants me to head up the Paris office now. So I'm moving back to Paris soon."

"Dude, that's awesome. It will be great to have you back. We need to catch up and hang out sometime."

Adrien smiled at the idea and it felt genuine. "Absolutely. You name it, date and time. I'll be there."

The two spent the better part of almost an hour catching up. Adrien liked that Nino wasn't afraid to talk to him like a normal person. Even joke with him. The years hadn't put a damper on their friendship. In many ways, Nino was exactly the same as Adrien remembered him. Same laid-back attitude, same build, same glasses and personal style. He got to be his true self all the time. And, from the looks of things, he was pursuing his passion for music.

Nino's phone went off in the middle of their conversation. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

"Crap. Hey man, I gotta get going home. Alya is wondering where I am."

Adrien couldn't let that go. "Alya? The same Alya?"

Nino laughed. "Yeah, the same ol'Alya."

"Wow, you guys are still together? That's… impressive. Wow."

Nino chuckled again. "Yeah, yeah I guess it is. It really doesn't seem like we've been together that long. Time has been like this enigma, ya know?"

Adrien nodded. He totally understood.

Nino hated to turn the conversation away, but he had to get going. "Listen, I still have to pack up and load this junk into my car…"

"Let me help." Adrien offered.

"Nah, don't worry. I got it." Nino told him. The guy was dressed in a full tux. He didn't need to help lift dusty equipment.

Adrien had already jumped up onto the stage and was glancing at the equipment looking for something to carry. The equipment was old, definitely used. But obviously functional.

Nino climbed back up onto the stage and stood next to him. A thought dawned on Adrien as he followed Nino's lead and started unplugging some chords from the switchboard.

"I thought you were wanting to record your own stuff?" he remarked. Remembering their conversations from a long time ago. And even listening to a few of Nino's amateur mixes. If his memory served him correctly, they had been pretty good.

"Well yeah, but DJs are like a dime a dozen now. It's impossible to get noticed. If I have to play one more 'funky chicken' or 'macarena' mash up, I think I might go insane."

Adrien chuckled at the comment. While he couldn't exactly relate to what he was talking about, he still felt like a part of him knew what Nino meant. The monotony of it all.

They spent the next few minutes unplugging, wrapping up chords and wires, and putting things into their hard cases. When everything was ready to go to the car, Adrien offered to keep helping, but Nino told him no, even though he was yawning uncontrollably.

Ever persistent, Adrien kept trying. "Are you sure you don't want help?"

"Nah, it's all good. I'm used to it."

Adrien finally let it go, and pulled out his phone. "Give me your number real quick."

Nino told it to him and he shot him a quick text.

"Awesome. Got it, thanks." Nino snapped his fingers and pointed at Adrien. "Listen, I know you've probably got a lot going on… But let's definitely plan on hanging out soon okay? Alya and I have this dive bar that we go to all the time. Good food. Great place not to get noticed." He smirked slightly when he said that last bit.

It made Adrien chuckle. "Sure thing. As soon as I'm settled I'll definitely give you a call."

They said their goodbyes and Adrien left feeling motivated to reconnect with old friends in his hometown. Honestly, he was already so thrilled to be coming back to Paris, that this meeting with Nino was just the cherry on top. Guess weddings weren't so bad after.

Truth be told, his move back to Paris had not been easy to negotiate. The kicker had been the fact that his Father seemed to be taking a slower approach to life. Maybe his age was finally catching up to him. Although, the man still had no desire to retire from his company. He still managed everything from the very top of his ivory tower. But he was willing to let things go. An opportunity that gave Adrien the opening he had been looking for.

More than anything, this was an opportunity to prove to his Father that Adrien was a capable leader and soon-to-be junior executive. Adrien knew what it took to do the job. His formal education and background helping to pave the way to his successes. More so, he wanted out of modeling. He wanted a more quiet, nine-to-five lifestyle. He definitely didn't want to be a celebrity anymore. He wanted to be himself. To live his life surrounded by honest, caring people. Away from all the plastic personalities and body parts.

And, at his very core, he wanted to be Chat Noir again. It took years for him to finally realize exactly what Chat Noir meant to him. Maybe back in the day, Chat Noir had been his escape from the caged-in lifestyle of his youth. But now, Adrien knew that Chat Noir was simply: his true self. Even though his face was hidden, his personality was who Adrien strived to be.

He wanted to be that person again. Even if he had to wear a mask to do it. His real face was stuck portraying this branded image.

It would also be a complete lie to say that he had forgotten all about Ladybug. Some people can just never be gone. She had been his first love. That burn would perhaps never leave. In moments of pure weakness, he would Google her. Looking for some picture or hint of her continued existence. If he searched long enough, he'd come up with a few blurry images of her swinging through buildings or perched on a rooftop. Akuma battles were the best way to obtain information, but those were few and far between. From what he did know, she was still in Paris and still being amazing.

When he got back to Paris permanently, he'd make a point to find her again. And this time, he would be a better cohort. He'd stop trying to earn her affections like some prepubescent love-drunk teen. He'd be there in the ways he was supposed to be, as her partner and her friend. Things would be different between them. Time had matured his behavior, and his heart. He could now offer her a professional working relationship. Feelings aside, it was time to move on.

As Adrien loosened his tie and plopped down heavily onto the plush couch in his posh hotel room, he felt a wave of euphoria pass through him. The photogenic view of the evening-lit Eiffel tower outside his window, made him feel right at home. It was a view he'd never grow tried of seeing.

Now that the wedding of the year was over, he could spend tomorrow looking for an apartment before he had to catch his plane back to Italy the following day. The move would take weeks, but he was ready. While Milan had been his home for many years. Paris was his city. It was where Chat Noir belonged. And Adrien couldn't wait to call it home again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Marinette gagged and dry heaved slightly as a fowl smell crept up her nose and instantly soured her stomach. She took in a deep breath, through her mouth this time, and adjusted her face mask.

Stray and unruly pieces of her dark hair hung in her face. Having escaped their bun. Her knees were sore and her shoulders ached. Not to mention her hands felt raw, even through the elbow length rubber gloves.

Still, she took a firm grasp on her scrub brush and dragged its rough bristles across the bathroom floor. The chemical cleaner bubbled and fizzed as she scrubbed. Putting in as much elbow grease as her small body could muster.

In the back of her head, she silently wondered if she could miraculous ladybug away the dirt and grime. That would certainly make this go so much faster. She rather felt like an akumatized victim: stuck in a perpetual state of cleaning.

She dunked her brush into the bucket of soapy water next to her and kept working. She knew this bathroom was going to be a challenge. The floor had been so mildewed and gross that she didn't even know the true color of the tiles until after over an hour of hard scrubbing. Although slowly revealing those ivory colored geometric tiles was deeply satisfying. And the drain in the middle of the floor made the cleanup pretty easy.

Sitting back on her legs, she surveyed her results. Feeling pleased with herself. There was actually a really nice bathroom in here, once she uncovered it. She tossed the bucket of water onto the floor and slowly squeegeed it into the drain.

Tikki flew around the corner, a water bottle gripped in her tiny hands. Marinette stripped off her gloves and mask, accepting the bottle graciously. The water wasn't cold but it was welcoming.

"It looks great Mariette." Tikki beamed.

Marinette swallowed a mouthful of water. "Hard to believe it was even under here."

Tikki buzzed excitedly across Marinette's head and back towards the doorway. "Come see. Come see." She urged.

Taking another long drink, Marinette stretched and followed her out into the main room. To which, she felt her jaw instantly drop.

"Tikki!" she exclaimed. "You didn't have to do all this!"

Every high up cobwebbed corner had been dusted clean. The feather duster was ready for the trash, but the room looked great. And less like an old haunted house.

"What a difference that made." Marinette said happily as she walked around the room, straining her neck upwards. "Great job, Tikki."

The tiny creature beamed happily. Marinette went over to her phone lying on the counter, gasping slightly at the time. It was late, after midnight in fact. She hadn't expected to be here this long. The metro stopped running at 12:40. So she needed to finish up and hurry.

She also had a text from her mom, telling her that some dinner was left in the microwave for when she got home. Reading the word dinner made her stomach gurgle. Food sounded good. Sleep sounded better. But, by the time she got home, ate, and showered. She'd be lucky to get a few hours of sleep before needed to get up for work at the café.

And so it happened that she slept through her alarm. Thank goodness Tikki woke her up not long after. But she was still going to be late.

In her mad dash, she could only splash cold water on her face, swish some mouthwash and get dressed before she rushed downstairs. Luckily, her parents were used to their daughter's tardiness, so Sabine had Marinette's coat in one hand and a breakfast pastry in the other. With the pastry shoved between her lips, she muffled a 'thank you', before running out the door.

The metro would take too long, so she opted to just run for it. In her mad dash, she was able to scarf down the pastry and tie up her hair. The early hour made for less foot traffic, but she still had to weave her way through a few cars. Secretly being Ladybug was not without had its perks. She was still in great shape and was quick on her feet. Although, being in her spotted suit definitely amplified those abilities by one thousand percent.

A few blocks in, she started to feel the morning chill through her untied coat and bare legs. The midi skirt had been easy to slip on in her rush, but it wasn't appropriate for late January weather in Paris. Her eyes watered and her lips were starting to dry out and chap. No time to put on chapstick. She'd probably only manage to poke out an eye.

Skidding around the final corner she hoped and prayed that the bitter weather would make people want to sleep in. But, as she got closer, she realized that hope was lost on that. There was a line out the door of the café, and Marinette felt her heart sink. Her boss was going to ream her for being late.

Marinette hurried into the café, excusing herself through the crowd. She glanced sheepishly towards the coffee bar expecting to see her sour-faced boss. But, instead, seeing someone else, and a smile instantly forming on her lips.

Leo saw her through the massive crowd of people, and cried out. "My god babe, help! Get your tushie back here before I keel over!"

Marinette could feel her smile brighten as she rushed for the back room to drop her purse and grab an apron.

Leo always worked second shift. So she rarely, if ever, got to work with him. They would see each other in passing, chat for maybe a few wonderful minutes before Marinette ran off to her other jobs and obligations. But even that short time together had formed a loving friendship.

Leo was high-energy, overly dramatic, and outrageously flamboyant. He made for wonderful company and could perk up anyone's spirits. Not to mention that he and Marinette shared a passion for fashion. Although while Marinette's designs catered towards every-day and glamorous styles, Leo's were more gaudy, campy, and loud. Or, at least, that's what Candi Sourz – Leo's drag persona – rocked for her nightclub performances.

On more than one occasion, Marinette had helped alter a particularly lavish sequin evening gown, glue on multiple shimmering crystals to a headpiece, or to help tame a wild wig. Candi Sourz was fun, richly sarcastic and wildly entertaining. She danced, sang, and looked better in a corset than Marinette did. Which was a crying shame.

Her and her drag sisters booked pretty regular shows that drew in lots of people. But Leo still needed an "alter-ego day job" (his words) to make ends meet. And simply because, "drag is an expensive legal drug."

However, today Leo was simply Leo. Dressed down in overly torn skinny jeans and a graphic tee. Although he wasn't afraid to still rock multi-colored long nails, and a few crystals glued to the corners of his magenta eye shadow.

Marinette got behind the counter and instantly got a one-armed hug from Leo. The next two hours were all but a blur as she ground coffee, poured espresso shots, steamed milk, and called out names. Leo took orders, payment, and cleaned up around her. And together, they were like a well-oiled machine.

Although they did pause for a brief moment, as Leo demanded they do a straight shot of espresso together in order to get through the madness. Leo channeled his inner Lil Jon echoing, "Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots," as he downed his and booty danced against her hip, making Marinette laugh.

Once the customers were properly caffeinated. The two of them finally had a breather after the morning rush. Marinette was cleaning up dishes and wiping down tables, and Leo was sacking the trash.

"Ugh." He cried out loud. "How do you do this ungodly morning shift every day?" He shook out a new trash bag and put it over the can liner.

"You get used to it." Marinette told him. She stacked small plates and mugs on her tray. "Better tips."

Leo sauntered over to the plastic tip jug they kept on the counter, giving it a good shake.

"You're right about that. Holy cow."

Whatever tips the morning crew got, they split with each other. Same with the afternoon shift. And with Leo's personality and Marinette's efficiency, the jug was fuller than usual.

"Mama smells a new lace front. Yes she does." Leo cooed to the cash.

He grabbed up the full trash bags and headed out to the dumpster while Marinette took the dishes to the back and started a load in the dishwasher. Coming back to the front, she caught Leo looking at his phone and frowning.

"You okay?" she asked.

He huffed, annoyed, did a few more seconds of scrolling, before putting his phone away.

"Boys are stupid." He whined.

Leo was a hopeless romantic. Beneath that eccentric personality beat the tender heart of a lover. He loved easily. Sometimes too easily. He was not into the hook-up culture that was common in his social circle. And that, unfortunately, contributed to a few broken hearts. Mostly his.

She rubbed his arm sympathetically, noticing how tan it was compared to her own pale skin. Leo was a compulsive tanner. Even in the dead of winter, he always looked like he was fresh off the beach.

"But let's talk about you for a sec." He said while pointing a friendly but judgmental finger at her head.

"Bird's nests are not cute."

Marinette instantly starting smoothing down her hair. Her face twisted with grief when she felt how tangled and stringy it was in her fingers.

"I woke up late." She tried to explain as she pulled the hair tie out and tried to comb through it with her fingers. "And I ran here."

Watching her struggle with it, Leo clapped at her. "Spin, spin." He offered.

She handed him the hair tie and turned around as he started to French braid her hair. His masterful fingers working so quickly it was done in a matter of seconds.

She patted the artful braid, feeling not a hair out of place, and thanked him.

"What's keeping you up so late?" Leo asked. But before she could answer, he jumped in again. "Please say it's a boy. I so need a fairy tale in my life right now."

Marinette smirked slightly and waved her hands to dismiss his hope. "No boy. Sorry to disappoint."

"What about Mr. goth and gorgeous?"

She felt herself blush. And Leo noticed, which made her blush harder when he grinned at her. "He's… uhh…"

"Still won't give him a snowball's chance in hell, huh?" Leo teased.

She put her hands on her hips. "That's not fair. I'm just, not ready... And I suck as a girlfriend."

"Babe, you most certainly would not suck as a girlfriend. You're cute as a button. And you've got a body that makes even me say, 'daaaamn girl'."

Marinette turned away from the compliment, grabbing a nearby rag and started wiping down the bar. Leo leaned against the wall, watching her avoid the conversation about her own love life. It was beyond his understanding why she chose to forgo relationships. Being in love was the spice of life.

For as long as he'd known her, she was perpetually stuck in this state of mind. Not stopping for one moment to smell the roses. Or, hell, any fucking flowers, for that matter. She just needed to be pushed outside of her comfort zone. But Leo had a hunch that most straight guys would find that quiet, shy, coffee house girl, a total turn on.

A customer came in the café and Leo moved past Marinette to happily greet him and take his order. He was moderately good looking with dark hair, eyes and skin. A snappy dresser. Average build. And a kind smile with good teeth. He wasn't hitting any of Leo's buttons, but it gave him a dastardly naughty idea.

"And… can I get a name for the order, please?" Leo asked.

"Warren." He answered.

"Ooo, now that is a very sexy name." Leo amused as he wrote it on the cup. "Don't you think so, Marinette?" He said her name very loudly, to ensure that Warren heard it.

Marinette didn't answer but gave him a side-eye, wondering what he was scheming.

"$4.72…" Leo told the customer, while grabbing the jug of milk out from the fridge below. He cast a side glance at Mariette, who had returned to cleaning and did not look up. He smirked, and kept talking.

"Or… it's on me, if you don't mind me asking you a teensy little question."

The young man was in good humor so he agreed.

"You see…" he glanced at Marinette with a devilish grin and then just blurted it out. "My cute friend here is a bit shy… But she'd really looove to know if you're single?"

Marinette's head snapped up, her eyes wide and her mouth open. Her gaze went from Leo to the young man and back again in a wild frenzy.

"Uhh, w-wait. No, I…" she started to say.

"Let the man speak." Leo interrupted her.

The young man looked at Marinette from head to toe, his pleasant smile growing wider as he noticed how attractive she was. He wasn't a bad looking guy, and that made Marinette all the more embarrassed at Leo's forwardness. She felt like running away and hiding.

"I'm not seeing anyone." Warren admitted.

"Well, what-do-ya-know." Leo teased, jabbing Marinette with his elbow. "Must be fate."

Marinette reached up to tuck a stray piece of hair away from her face, but realized there was nothing to tuck due to Leo's tight braid. So she just felt more stupid. Her face was lit alive with embarrassment. She kept her eyes downward, trying to avoid direct eye-contact with Warren who was obviously trying to catch her gaze.

"F-Fancy that." She muttered to herself. Oh she was going to kill Leo.

Leo hummed to himself as he prepared Warren's drink. After a few seconds, it was obvious that Marinette wasn't going to speak, so he continued to talk to him in a dreamy tone, as if he was writing his own romance novel.

"Oh just imagine if you could meet that someone special over something as simple as a cup of coffee? I mean, honestly, it's so romantic."

Marinette resisted the urge to smack him with her rag. But, to her utter humiliation, he kept talking.

"The dreamy sideways glances over hot, steaming milk. Those unspoken words after hearing their name. The possibility that this stranger could be your one… true… love."

Oh he was laying it on thick.

"What if they came in, day after day. Ordering the same thing, with the hopes that you would notice them? Until you finally realize that they weren't actually coming in for just coffee. They were… coming in… for you?"

Warren chuckled warmly at the story. "I'd like that."

Leo smirked. "I know, right? Who wouldn't?" He finished making the drink and handed it over to the young man.

The moment was about to pass them by, but Leo was not having it.

"So… Can she get your number?"

"Leo!" Marinette squeaked.

"What?" he retorted, not feeling remotely sorry for this embarrassing encounter.

Warren found the whole situation amusing. The petite barista was cute. And this certainly had never happened to him before. What would it hurt?

"Got a pen?" he asked.

Leo instantly produced a pen from his apron pocket. Marinette felt herself unravel as Warren pulled out a crisp and professional business card, and then proceeded to write his personal cell phone number on the back. He handed the pen back to Leo, but the card to Marinette. Who took it and held it with two shaking hands.

Flashing another nice smile towards her, he took up his coffee and turned to leave. Calling over his shoulder before he got too far.

"Marinette, was it? I hope what your friend said was true. Call me sometime."

Marinette chewed on her bottom lip, face flushed but calming down. His voice had been perfectly genuine and sweet. He seemed like a nice guy. And she, oh god, she had black coffee grinds under her finger nails.

"She will!" Leo called back as Warren left the cafe. Once he was safely out of earshot, Leo glanced over her shoulder at the business card still gripped in her fingers.

"Babe!" he said excitedly as he read what it said. "He's a lawyer! Hot damn. You struck gold."

She stared at the heavily embossed business card kind of wondering if it was all a lie. On paper, Warren sounded like a huge catch. Would he really consider going out with someone like her?

Marinette tucked Warren's card into her apron pocket. She couldn't exactly throw it away in front of Leo. But she also didn't hate the idea of having it.

She turned and looked at Leo, who looked delightfully pleased with himself. But he could read the expression on her face, so he put his hands together like he was praying and said,

"Please don't kill me. I don't have a drag daughter to take over my legacy."

Marinette shot him a dark look. "I don't need your help getting dates." She told him, not really irritated but just wanting to be firm.

"Just keeping them." Leo spoke sarcastically under his breath.

Marinette opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it. The truth burned in her throat. And she didn't want to admit it.

She turned away, and walked in the back. Leo followed after her.

"Don't be mad." He begged gently. "Remember, you're my only ticket out of this place."

Marinette leaned against the wall of wire shelving that held all of the stocked dry ingredients. She wasn't mad at him. Truth was just a hard pill to swallow.

Besides, what he said was true. She had promised that when her shop was up and running, she would hire Leo as her associate. He could sell his own designed clothing and accessories that catered to the drag community. It was a good business move to offer two individualized fashion markets. And Marinette was rather excited about helping Leo with his designs. It certainly provided an amazing outlet to be creative.

She pushed herself off the wall, looking back at him and forced herself to smile. "I'm not mad. Promise. I'm just… I'm… so ready to be done with… all this." She gestured to the empty air around her. "I'm ready to move on. To have my store, and spend every single day doing what I love."

Leo nodded. "Trust me babe, no one blames you for wanting to be done. It'll happen for you."

He made sure she was watching as he did an imaginary hair flip, put his chin up high, and stuck out his chest.

"Chin up, tits out, you're almost there."


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette stood in the checkout line at the hardware store patiently waiting her turn. The place was about to close so she hoped she remembered to grab everything she needed. The big ticket item being the five gallon bucket of wood polish. Along with wood nails, caulk filler, sandpaper, brushes and whatever else the internet had recommended she buy to try and restore and repair the old wood floors of her store.

The associates at the store had been extremely helpful, and gave her a lot of good suggestions on where to start. She felt pretty confident in the project. It certainly couldn’t be any worse than cleaning the downstairs bathroom. Which still gave her nightmares.

A yawn caught her unexpectedly, and she felt her body grow heavy. She still had to walk all this stuff several blocks back to her store. As she yawned again, it occurred to her that maybe this wasn’t a project she would be starting tonight. 

She paid for her items, keeping a mental budget of her expenses to deduct later. She didn’t notice the multiple sets of eyes staring at her as she picked up the five gallon bucket of polish and slung it over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. 

“Want me to carry that to your car, miss?” the clerk offered hesitantly.

Marinette shook her head, completely missing the reaction she was generating. 

“Oh, no thanks. I actually don’t have a car.” She gathered the rest of her bags, strategically placing them at different points on her arm, and headed for the door. 

A whisper followed her out. “Superwoman in a pint sized package.”

She shifted the weight on her shoulder. Feeling a bit self-conscious. Maybe she should try to be more feminine? 

She walked at a slower pace towards her shop, listening to the fluid slush around inside the container against her ear. In the past few weeks, she’d felt more like a house flipper than an actual clothing designer. The renovations consuming all of her already tireless evenings. And yet, somehow, as she scrubbed, nailed, or even spackled, she found renewed strength and nearly bottomless energy. It would all be worth it. She had to keep telling herself that. 

Tikki helped her unlock the old door when she finally arrived. It was dark enough that no one could see the tiny creature buzzing about. Tikki was also very cognizant of her surroundings. 

Tikki had been a secret blessing throughout this whole endeavor. Totally willing to buzz back and forth, up and down the stairs grabbing miscellaneous materials as soon as Marinette needed them. She also reminded Marinette to drink more water, and – eventually – take a break. 

The two listened to music together while they worked. Dancing, twirling, and singing into the handles of their tools. Marinette could hardly imagine doing any of this without Tikki. Actually, once she finally moved in, she and Tikki would have the whole place to themselves to enjoy and talk freely. Without the need or worry of having to keep their voices down. 

As Marinette walked into the space, she set everything down with a mild groan, while Tikki flipped on the lights.

The space glowed with new warm-yellow light bulbs. She ended up replacing nearly every bulb when the power had been turned on. At first she’d thought that the power wasn’t working at all. But it turned out to be just the old bulbs. 

She still had plywood covering up the front window. It may just stay there as the final thing she pulls down. Her own version of fully christening her shop. She needed to hang a privacy curtain first. But that was further down the extensive to-do list.

Tikki rummaged through the bags of supplies on the floor, pulling things out and setting them aside in no particular order. Marinette watched her and smiled as she stripped off her coat. 

It was hard to believe that she’d already had the building for weeks. Not much had happened in terms of renovations. She ended up having to call both a professional roofer and a plumber to come out and do some repairs. Their respective bills making her chest tight. Although, she now had a safe and watertight roof, and a properly flushing toilet. 

Besides, the whole place was properly clean. Not a cobweb or dustbunny in sight. She’d even washed the walls by borrowing a ladder from Mr. Cantin – who said she could use it for as long as she needed to. Tikki had helped with the super high up places. 

She even cleaned off the dead potted plants from the faux balcony. Sweeping, cutting and clearing the old vines away. Just that bit of work really opened and brightened up the exterior. She’d love to paint the whole building. But that was certainly not in the budget. 

There had definitely been moments that Marinette wished she could transform into Ladybug and just bounce from wall to wall, but that felt like cheating. She wanted to do this on her own strength. And, so far, she was pleasantly pleased with the results.

Marinette walked over to a half drunk water bottle on the counter and unashamedly drank the remaining contents. It tasted stale and flat, and made her cough. 

She glanced at some papers lying on the counter. Some of it was unopened mail. Mostly junk. But she also had done a few rough renderings of what she planned on doing with the empty plaster walls. She was hoping to freehand sketch some blooming flowers and spiraling vines like they were coming out of the corners, and then paint over the sketches. She had a couple different designs of the flower shapes and proportions, each bloom facing different directions.

The sketches also helped her plan out where she’d eventually put up racks and displays. But that seemed like so far away. But it still gave her a goal. 

Next she’d focus on everything wood. Floors, cabinetry, and the like. She’d researched how to restore wood surfaces and hoped she wouldn’t mess it up. Mrs. Gelinas still had not been by to check on her progress. She hoped the woman appreciated what Marinette was doing to her building. 

Tikki finished her inspection of Marinette’s purchases and flew to land on Marinette’s shoulder.

“So, what’s the plan tonight?” she asked excitedly. 

Marinette hummed and hawed over what could be done. Too much really. And, she just wasn’t in a mood to start something new. She had to be at Mr. Cantin’s shop in the morning. Although, he certainly had nicer hour than the café. She could actually get some decent sleep tonight. 

But it was still several metro rides and a long walk until she was back at her parent’s bakery. With that in mind, an idea struck her.

“How about if Ladybug does some nighttime patrolling?” 

Tikki smiled brightly. “I think that’s an excellent idea.” She exclaimed, buzzing into the air. She loved it when Marinette took time for Ladybug. Continuing to keep a safe watch over Paris.

Marinette matched Tikki’s smile and excitedly gathered her things to leave. After locking up, she walked about a block until she found a dark spot to transform.

Ladybug zipped up to the nearest rooftop, gazing out at the city before her, completely alive with twinkling lights. The years had not dulled her desire to be Ladybug. If anything, it kept her personal life more grounded. She felt the pulse of this city like the beating of her own heart.

Tonight, the sliver of moon smiled down at her, as she swung freely from building to building. All the while keeping her ears tuned in for any potential cries for help. 

The patrol took her miles around the city. Ways away from her parent’s house and her warm bed. But she wasn’t doing this to use Ladybug as a way to quickly get home, at least, not right now. 

She followed police cars with their lights and sirens on. Stopping and quietly observing the brave men and women as they responded to calls. Nothing so far that she needed to jump in and help with.

She’d long ago figured out the subtle differences between a dark alley mugging, or two people just making out. Although, she had had a few embarrassing oops-es. 

Perching herself on top of one of her favorite lookout points, the Eiffel Tower, she scanned the horizon, letting the wind play with her hair. The Tower’s once an hour strobe lights glittering beneath her. It actually had been Chat Noir’s favorite spot. She visited it often in his memory.

She stayed up there for a long time, sharp eyes on the lookout for anything suspicious, but finding that the chilly night had kept the confrontations to a minimum. Repelling off tower, she headed for her parents home, ready to call it a night. 

On her way, she did happen upon an almost car jacking. The car’s owner being extremely thankful when she intervened. Although the would-be criminal turned out to be just a young, troubled teenager in a cut up ski mask. He looked ready to cry as she hoisted him up in the air by her yo-yo, spilling the knife from his hand. She hung around until the police showed up, and let them take control of the situation. 

When her feet touched the ground and she became Marinette again, it was after midnight. She unlocked the front door to the bakery and tip-toed inside – knowing her parents had already gone to bed. 

Her bedroom was 70% packed up into used boxes and black trash bags. She had to navigate the maze of trip hazards in order to crawl into bed. 

She scrolled on her social media for a few minutes until her eyes just couldn’t stay open anymore, causing her phone to fall and hit her in her face. Rubbing her nose, she put it on the side table and whispered goodnight to Tikki.

Sleep consumed her not a moment later. 

Adrien stood in his new Paris apartment surrounded by a mountain of neatly packaged, crisp moving boxes, and disassembled plastic wrapped furniture. The moving company was slowly bringing things into the spacious apartment using the building’s service elevator. 

Most of the stuff wasn’t even his. But it was stuff that the decorator was going to use.

The interior decorator and her team were on their way, but stuck in traffic. He only needed to stay long enough to give them a spare key, so they could “transform” his apartment while he went back to the office for an afternoon of back-to-back meetings. Supposedly, he’d come home this evening to a perfectly furnished, stocked, and fully decorated apartment. Something ready for the cover of _Architectural Digest_. 

Come to think of it, he was pretty sure that particular magazine did want to do an interview with him once he was “settled”. He remembered Natalie mentioned something about it. Oh well. He’d pretend to casually lounge on some plush sofa while a photographer snapped his candid photo and called it, “How Adrien Agreste unwinds at home.”

The new apartment smelled like fresh paint and canned air freshener. It was split into two levels, connected by a modern-looking metal staircase. Multiple skylights and large, floor-to-ceiling windows filled the space with a plentiful amount of natural light. 

It was a loft-style master bedroom, completely open to the downstairs and separated only by the metal railing. But it made the space feel very freeing. 

The upstairs bathroom was sleek with its bidet toilet, double sink vanity, and glass shower: big enough to ballroom dance in. And a jacuzzi tub both deep and large enough to swim laps. Off the bathroom, was a his and hers walk in closet. Although, in his case, it was just a ‘his’ closet. It had wrap-around custom shelving built into the walls. 

Downstairs was a room that would become his home office. It had wide French doors that opened up into the extensive living room and kitchen. There was another room that he figured could be a guest room. Or a home gym. He honestly didn’t know what the interior decorator had planned. He had only agreed to a particular style and paint colors. 

The kitchen had full size stainless appliances and even a dishwasher. All were completely useless to him. He never cooked. He leaned casually against the kitchen island, complete with its own built in wine cooler, and wondered how many times he’d even use the double oven. 

Truthfully, had picked this apartment because it overlooked the Seine River and the windows were plain glass. No crisscross gridlines to make him feel caged-in like his childhood bedroom. His Father insisted on the apartment because it had 24-hour security, a doorman, and was on the top floor. Not to mention a state of the art security system, complete with video intercom.

Adrien was honestly just happy to be living completely alone. He’d have a scheduled housekeeper come during the week, but no one would actually live in the apartment but him. No assistants, bodyguards, or maids. No one to really tell him what to do or how to act. Heck, he could walk around naked if he wanted too. No one to judge him but a certain opinionated kwami.

Which was another perk. Plagg didn’t have to hide anymore. And the constantly hungry kwami could have 24-hour fridge access. No need to sneak around for a late night snack. 

Adrien looked over at one of the piles of professional packed boxes, reading the machine printed label that contained the box’s contents. Shoes mostly. He did like shoes. He’d admit that much. He had been in hand-made shoe heaven while living in Milan.

Moving away from the boxes, he stared out into the space.

“Home sweet home.” He muttered under his breath.

“Thank god we are back in Paris.” Plagg spoke up from inside Adrien’s sport coat pocket. “Milan was sooo boooorrrrrring.”

Adrien’s brow knitted as he looked towards Plagg’s voice. “It wasn’t all bad.”

“Speak for yourself, Mr. Famous. Some of us like the simpler things in life.” Plagg persisted. 

Adrien huffed. “I like the simple things too.” He defended.

“Oh sure.” Plagg droned mockingly. “Cause this place screams simplicity.”

The little kwami wasn’t wrong. But Adrien wouldn’t admit that. Not out loud anyway. 

He checked the time, needing to be somewhere for an appointment soon. 

“I know the first thing I’m gonna do once all these people leave.” Plagg admitted.

Adrien smirked. “And what’s that?”

“Eat a whole wheel of camembert.”

“You had camembert in Italy.” Adrien reminded him. The kwami acted like he was starving him.

“Imported.” Plagg explained to him nonchalantly. Then made little smacking sounds with his lips as if he could taste it. “But here… here is the very source. France, kingdom of cheese.”

Adrien began to imagine just how gross his new refrigerator was going smell with all the cheese. He cringed slightly. “You know, I thought your tastes would have changed over the years. There are so many more foods to try. And there is certainly more to life than cheese.” 

“Blasphemy.” Plagg retorted darkly, snuggling himself down deeper into the silk lined pocket. He yawned deeply, showing tiny pointed teeth, before closing his eyes.

Adrien rubbed the top of his little head with his finger. Although Plagg’s statement stayed with him. He looked out one of large windows, watching the glittering gray water carry a catamaran boat filled with tourists. He knew exactly what he was going to do once everyone left. In fact, he might as well get a heads start now.

Grabbing up his phone, he opened his messages and found Nino’s contact info.

Hey. I’m back in Paris. When do you want to get together?

He scratched that off his mental checklist. The next to-do item being vastly more important, but would take significantly longer time, careful planning, and probably some sheer dumb luck. He wished it could be as easy as simply texting her. But both of them had maintained their strict anonymity. Something he both respected, but secretly hated.

Ladybug was out there somewhere in this city. And he was determined to see her again. 

He heard the elevator dig from down the hall, followed by an onslaught of hurried footsteps towards his front door. Sounded like the design team was finally here. 

Making sure Plagg was fully out of sight; he pushed off the kitchen island and plastered his signature sultry smile on his lips to greet them. 

Not even five minutes later, he was literally being pushed out of his own apartment. The eccentric decorator needing him completely out in order to work on his “vision” for the space. More and more people filled his apartment by the moment. So Adrien was happy to get the hell out of there.

As he rode the wall to wall mirrored elevator down to the main lobby, he checked his work emails. Trying to get a mental plan together for the busy afternoon. He had only been back in Paris for a few short days, but his Father was already pushing him to jump into the business as soon as possible.

As the elevator doors opened and Adrien stepped out into the Rococo inspired lobby, he was warmly greeted by a bubbly young receptionist dressed like a flight attendant who was standing behind a gigantic gilded desk. Which was flanked by a uniformly dressed group of security officers, who Adrien had yet to see smile.

He waved casually and headed for the revolving door. Black and grey rain clouds hung over Paris. Thunder rolling off in the distance.

“Good afternoon, sir.” Called the portly doorman who stood just outside.

“Hey Charlie.” Adrien called back. Charlie was British, but had spent his later years in France. In fact, his French was nearly as good as his Spanish, and his German. Adrien was pretty sure he spoke a little Russian too. 

“Heading for the office?” Charlie asked. 

Adrien nodded, glancing towards the sky as a flash of lighting passed overhead.

A black umbrella appeared in Charlie’s hand, and he handed it to Adrien.

“Should clear up by the evening.” Charlie told him. Among all his spoken languages, Charlie was also a pretty decent mind reader. That’s probably why he made such a good doorman.

Adrien smiled and accepted the umbrella. Charlie led him down the steps and into the black town car that just pulled up from the garage.

Charlie opened the door and Adrien climbed inside. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the flare of a camera lens. 

While security did an excellent job of keeping the paparazzi away from the building, the public streets were still fair game. And with a good zoom lens, they might as well be standing next to him for how clear the pictures were.

It couldn’t be helped. He’d had a lifetime of being followed. Moving back to Paris would not change that. He sincerely hoped that one day, they would all just lose interest in him. 

Slipping into the back of the quiet car, he stared longingly out of the tinted windows. He was back. Paris had not changed so much. If anything the years apart had made her more lively. 

As the car rolled away from the building, Adrien couldn’t help but feel like he’d been given a new opportunity on life. A chance to regain the familiarities, yes, but also make some drastic changes.

Several days later, Marinette stood in her shop, pacing frantically on the shiny wood floors. Every few seconds, she went to the open door and peered outside, looking for the moving truck that carried her whole life inside of it. It was officially moving day, and she’d been up since before dawn. Caffeine pumping through her veins with every sip of her jumbo coffee, courtesy of her loving parents.

Her father was stomping around upstairs, taking a fatherly look at the size of the bedroom because he still didn’t think her bed would fit up there. Marinette’s mother, bless her beautiful soul, was expertly measuring and cutting shelf liner from a large, sticky roll, and lining all of the cabinets. 

Trading shifts at the café with Leo, and asking Mr. Cantin for some personal time, had given her the entire day off. Although that meant working a double tomorrow and the next day. But, if she played her cards right today, she’d be able to sleep here tonight for the first time since she started renting the place. 

The front door was propped open, letting in a crisp, cool breeze that also pushed leaves inside.

Marinette had pushed and stacked most of her home makeover supplies and tools into a corner. Trying to give the movers as much floor space as possible to move around. 

Once she painted, unpacked, and organized, she could actually begin the process of setting up her store. Add in probably another half a dozen tasks between now and then. It was still a slow moving process until she could officially open. She was secretly hoping to be open by Spring. 

But now that she could officially sleep here, it would make things so much easier. Her commute to Mr. Cantin’s shop was less than ten minutes by foot. And the café was now one less metro stop away. 

She honestly couldn’t wait to turn in her notice at the café. That would be the first part-time job she’d officially quit in order to spend time having her store open. She’d miss Leo to bits, but once her store was hopefully booming, she’d absolutely hire him on. Unfortunately, there was no telling when that could be. She knew Leo was chomping at the bit to leave too. 

“Great job sweetheart.” Tom praised as he awkwardly came down the uneven stairs. “The place looks great.” Her father looked the same, although the years had woven patches grey into his dark hair and mustache. 

Marinette beamed proudly. “How does the floor look up there?”

“That polish you put on the floors really brought them back to life.” 

Marinette smiled dully at the compliment. “Do you think it can hold the weight of my bed?”

“Yeah, I think you’ll be just fine.” Tom told her, coming to stand by Sabine. “The wood is old, but it’s solid.”

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. Guess her boot heel had found the only weak spot. Well, finger’s crossed. 

Taking another long sip of her coffee, she looked at the time on her phone. The truck and movers should be here by now. Did they get stuck in traffic? Or did they have an accident? God she was getting riled up over nothing. 

She had sprung for the movers. Her father’s back just couldn’t handle heavy lifting anymore. It was a bit of a blow to her renovation budget, but it had to be done. 

She traced the edge of the countertop with her finger. The walnut colored wood subtly reflected her face back at her. She had spent hours sanding and polishing it. Especially this particular section because it was going to be her transaction surface, and she wanted it to look the best. 

“You really did amazing, Marinette.” Sabine told her as she ran her scissors across the liner cutting it away from the roll.

“Who knew my little girl had a talent for home renovations?” Tom projected.

“Having the internet helped.” Marinette admitted dryly.

“You should be proud of yourself Honey.” Sabine continued. “Has your land-lady been by to see what you’ve done?”

Marinette shook her head. “Not yet. When I dropped the rent off last month I tried to talk with her about adding a window upstairs, but she wasn’t having it.”

“The room with the sink?” Tom asked and when Marinette nodded, he continued. “Yeah, a window would help a lot. Its like a little prison cell in there.”

She hated to admit it, but her dad was absolutely right. Oh well, at least she had a window in her bedroom. 

Marinette glanced towards the front door. She still hadn’t taken the plywood off the front window. It was more of a privacy issue at the moment, so the wood stayed put. 

“Before I completely unpack, I’ll probably start painting.” She told them. “I picked out the paint colors last week. Want to see?” She fiddled in her purse, smiling at Tikki who waved at her, and pulled out the paint chips.

Tom and Sabine huddled together as Marinette made space on the cluttered countertop and laid out the samples.

Pointing to a very subtle and pale pink shade, she pointed to the walls. “I’m thinking this will go everywhere down here.”

“You and your pink.” Sabine commented. 

Marinette picked up the sample and walked it over to the white plaster walls, holding it up for them to see. In the direct sunlight, it was barely pink. It actually faintly changed colors depending on what light it was in. With the walnut colored floors, cabinets and built-ins the color looked fresh.

“I like it.” Tom approved. “It looks totally different when you hold it up like that.”

Marinette walked back over and showed them the other colors picked her bedroom and bathroom. For the bathroom she had chosen a lovely water-resistant sage green. Upstairs would mirror the downstairs, and she had a brighter more orange-pink chosen as an accent wall in her bedroom. 

Staring at the colors, she felt like she had made good choices. She had some separate small tubes of paint for her murals in a bag somewhere mixed in with everything else shoved into the corner.

“Oh honey, I forgot to tell you. Your dad was delivering a cake to the Bourgeois’ hotel downtown, and they seem to be going through an entire remodel.” Sabine explained. “There were all kinds of furniture being thrown out…”

“Pretty nice stuff too.” Tom interjected. “Wasn’t she a classmate of yours? Chloe? You might want to inquire about some of it. Especially if it’s just going into a dumpster.”

Marinette bit her tongue to keep from laughing. “S-Sure. Yeah… Good idea.” She lied through her clenched teeth. She hadn’t spoken a word to Chloe in years. Good riddance in her opinion. The woman was vile. 

Last she knew, Chloe had taken over as owner of the Bourgeois hotel, and was running it like her own personal Barbie dream house. Alya had been forced to accompany her coworkers to cover the story about the young heiress inheriting her parent’s prized hotel. The gem of Paris – as it was called. Alya had been a professional about the whole thing, but she came back with tons of juicy gossip about how Chloe behaved the entire time. 

Still, she might sneak down to the hotel and see if there was anything worth salvaging. Dumpster diving, not necessarily her favorite past time. 

The squeaking of worn out truck brakes echoed throughout the room, making everyone jump and look toward the door. 

A bright yellow moving truck rolled to a stop in front of the door. Its old engine practically hissing in exhaustion when it was finally allowed to rest. 

“They’re here!” Tom called happily.

He followed his daughter outside to begin the unloading process.

Marinette lay in bed. Well, she at least lay on top of the mattresses, which were currently on the floor. She’d found a top sheet in a box, but no blankets in sight so she was using her coat. She had blankets and her bedspread in a box, but that was downstairs, somewhere.

The movers had put her bedframe together and it was currently set in the other room that would eventually be her bedroom. But she had the mattresses outside in the landing by the stairs, so she could paint before moving them in. She’d wanted to start prepping the walls tonight, but she ran out of steam.

The downstairs looked like a fortress of boxes, bags and plastic totes. But everything was down there. Including her mannequins, dress forms, numerous bolts of fabric, and her sewing machine. Along with her personal clothes and household items. Looking at it all, she was shocked to see how much stuff she actually had.

She’d been thrift shopping and dumpster diving for years. Slowing collecting things that she may (or may not) use. She had an innate ability to see things as multifunctional. For example, a swanky restaurant was just throwing away their metal over-the-stove pot and pan hanger. Marinette snatched it up, scrapped off the rust, and coated it with white spray paint. Instant clothing rack. 

Her parents had stayed the entire day. Her dad helped run a wire and plug in her slightly used mini fridge. Which, to Marinette’s utter surprise, fit perfectly under the built-in cabinets. The appliance was humming along downstairs, containing her leftovers from dinner. 

He then helped her hang up some curtain rods, in order to create a small curtained off area in the back of the room that would serve as a changing room for customers. He also got up on the ladder and hung another rod in the front window. So the plywood could come down as soon as the privacy curtain went up.

He spent the rest of the time fighting with the squeaking front door. Oiling hinges multiple times until the door faintly made any noise when it opened.

Her mother had helped unpack and organize her “kitchen”. Which, essentially, was just occupying few of the cabinets and a bit of the counter space not in direct line of sight to customers walking through the door. They’d even found Marinette’s small two-cup coffee pot. Which was waiting for her to be used in the morning, if she managed remember to go buy coffee. 

Definitely feeling tired after the long day, but also slightly listless. She rolled from her side onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. A bit of moonlight from the window in the other room broke through the darkness of her new home. 

The building made clicking and creaking noises that made her jump awake every time she closed her eyes. The normal and familiarity of her surroundings was gone. It would take a few days, maybe weeks, to get used to sleeping here. Even the sounds from the street below were foreign. 

It shouldn’t bother her as much as it did. But now that she was very much alone, in her own space, for the first time in her life, she was frightened. Irrationally frightened. Tikki was here. And Marinette could literally kick the ass of anyone who tried to break in. She knew she was safe, but the seclusion feeling still ate at her.

The condenser coils on the fridge popped downstairs. The noise shot through her, making her heart skip a beat.

She needed something comforting. Something familiar. Something to help this feeling drift away. She really hated to bother him. But, right now, he was the only one she wanted to talk to.

Huffing to herself, she reached over and grabbed her phone. Hoping that he was still awake when she fired off the text message. She stared longingly at the words she sent, wondering if he was reading them.

She jumped when her phone starting ringing in her hands. His name flashing across the screen. Fumbling, she answered it awkwardly. 

“Hello?”

“Hey. Its me.”

She chuckled dryly. Who else would it be? 

“Yeah.”

“How are you?” he asked. His voice so deep and husky that she could melt. 

“Good. Yeah, I’m good. You?”

“Hangin’ in there.”

“I hope I didn’t wake you?” she said, feeling suddenly guilty.

“Of course not. I’m on vampire hours. Remember?” he teased. She chuckled at his comment, but didn’t say anything further. 

His band always played late shows. He was practically nocturnal on that schedule. She remembered that now. It had made meeting up for dates more challenging. Back briefly when they did date.

“I’m surprised you’re still awake.” He continued. 

His voice held hints of genuine concern. These late-night phone calls were not unusual between them. Although tonight, he could hear the dejection in her voice. Moments like this, he wished he could be there. That she would let him in.

Marinette glanced around the foreign room. Even though her mattress felt familiar and all of her stuff was downstairs, it still wasn’t the same. The smells surrounding her were completely different, and the new noises sounded strange. 

“Something on your mind?” he pushed further.

Yeah. There was definitely a lot on her mind. There was a great deal she hadn’t told him. She didn’t want to dump all her issues on him. That wasn’t fair. Besides, this wasn’t that kind of phone call. Right now, she just didn’t want to feel alone. But she couldn’t tell him that. 

“I’m just tired.” She finally told him. It was the only honesty she could afford to say. 

He let out a breath he’d been holding onto. He’d always wanted to somehow share in her burdens. But she’d never allow that. Pride and ambitions getting in the way. Although, he had a better idea. 

Smiling into the phone, he shuffled around. Making noises in the background for a few seconds before he spoke again.

“Want to hear a song?” he offered, softly strumming his fingers across the strings. 

She closed her eyes at the tender sound. Picturing him leaning back casually in the darkness of his own room. His guitar comfortably held in his lap – at the ready. 

“Please.” She said contentedly, her voice barely above a whisper. 

The pleasant notes started up instantly at her request. The phone speaker distorted the guitar, but it was still beautiful. Sounding distant and far away but also private, almost shy. She hadn’t heard this song before. It must be something new he was working on. He was so talented. 

She put her phone on speaker and laid it on the mattress next to her. She sunk her head back down onto her arm, feeling finally relaxed.

His deep voice accompanied the warm tones like they belonged together. Sometimes there were undecipherable lyrics, or quiet humming and soulful moans. The song floated into her ears like the most perfect of lullabies. She listened until she couldn’t listen anymore, letting it soothe her mind.

“Marinette?” He asked.

But she was already fast asleep. 

Luka chuckled warmly. “Goodnight, Marinette.”

A day later, Marinette was rolling paint onto her bedroom walls. The walls were greedily soaking up the pale-pink paint. The window cranked open to help dissipate the fumes. 

She stood on her bedframe, stretching up as high as she could reach and spreading the paint as evenly as possible. She was certain that she had paint in her hair, because the rest of her was certainly covered in it.

Even Tikki was not immune as she used her tiny brush to paint along the trim just above the taped off baseboards. Her long antennae covered in paint.

Marinette hopped down to go get more paint on her roller, stepping back for a second to survey their work. It’s miraculous what a little paint can do for a room.

Even though her back-to-back double shifts had left her exhausted, she was even more tired of sleeping on the floor. Besides, Mr. Cantin only needed her tomorrow afternoon. So she could sleep in. Unless, of course, if her boss at café called, then she’d probably go in as a show of good faith before she quit on him, hopefully soon.

She had one more wall to roll tonight and then the room would be finished. The accent wall by the window already done and looking so cute.

Deciding to take a quick break, Marinette went to fetch her phone from the hallway. Unlocking the screen while wiping her sweaty bangs out of her face. 

She had a text from Alya. Oh, it was actually a picture message.

She opened the picture, and nearly dropped her phone.

The flash had turned his green eyes bright red. But there was no mistaking who it was in the picture. His arms were draped across Nino’s & Alya’s shoulders so they could all fit into the photo together. They were sitting in a dark booth, drinks and appetizers on the table in front of them. 

The text message under the photo made Marinette’s chest tighten. “Look who’s back! Are you so totally jealous?? P.S. He smells amazing!” 

Marinette checked the time. The message had been sent over two hours ago. 

Adrien Agreste was back in Paris? If he was back permanently, she did not know. But she certainly wasn’t going to wait a second longer to find out.

Without thinking clearly, she pressed the button and called Alya, who picked up on the third ring. There was a pause, and then a huge influx of background noise: clanking of dishes, music, and other voices. 

Alya’s voice was muffled with all the other noise, but Marinette could hear her say. “It’s Marinette… you remember her, don’t you?... Dark hair?... Yeah…”

Was she even talking to her? Or had she answered her phone on accident.

Alya’s loud voice broke through the surrounding noise. Her mouth now directly by the microphone. She sounded tipsy. “Heeey girl! You’re on speaker.”

The onslaught of rapid-fire questions that Marinette had for best friend died instantly on her lips. Putting her on speaker was a damn dirty trick. She had to mentally rein in her freak out. They were all still out together. She could hear Nino’s deep voice in the speakerphone background. 

She tried to keep her voice calm and neutral. “Hey. What are you guys up to?”

She didn’t get a response, only Alya’s laughter. 

“Alya?” she asked.

The phone crackled and reverberated her words back at her. Through the noise, she heard Alya say, “Adrien. Adrien say hi to Marinette.”

Marinette froze up. “Alya no its…”

His rich voice came over the speaker. “Hey… Marinette?” 

A breeze could have knocked her over. 

“H-Hey.” She breathed. Her brain about to melt. Nope it was melting and surely leaking out of her ears. “H-How are you?”

“Good. How are you?” he responded kindly. His voice sounded like butter.

It took her a moment to respond with what to say. Good? Great? Fine? She finally ended up with, “I’m good. How are you?” 

Instantly, she mentally slapped herself, and physically face-palmed. Why couldn’t she be normal? She had her shit together, honestly she did.

There was a long pause. “What?” he asked, the background noise sounding deafening. “Sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.”

Marinette stiffened, anxiety building. “I-I said, I’m good.” She repeated. 

There was another long pause. Nothing but background noise. Very distantly she heard him say. 

“Alya… I can’t hear her…”

The speaker got bumped and shuffled around. Alya’s distant voice saying. “Sorry, the speaker is crap-tastic.”

Marinette pressed her phone hard against her ear, trying to hear anything more. To which she only heard more static, then Alya’s voice boomed into the phone. Marinette pulled the phone sharply away from her ear, but it was still ringing. 

“I’ll call you later girl. Bye!” 

Before she could say another word, the call ended. And Marinette was left staring at the screen.

That totally did not just happen. Her first words in years to Adrien were not just lost to Alya’s crappy phone. Marinette wanted to scream. Mostly at herself. What was it about that guy that made her act like an insane person? She had been fine, totally fine for years. She was completely over him. 

Oh, but that voice of his. So masculine that it made her feel weightless. It was one thing to see pictures of him in some online gossip article, but to actual hear his voice and talk to him. Ugh, it was too much.

She all but collapsed onto the floor. Thank goodness her mattress was there to catch her. 

Tikki flew in to find her staring at the wall like she’d just seen a ghost.

“What’s going on?”

“He’s back.” Marinette mumbled. “Holy god Tikki. He’s back.”

Tikki flew closer, picking dried paint off of her antennae. “Who’s back?”

Marinette turned her bright eyes to gawk at her. “Adrien. Adrien Agreste.” She breathed in a voice just above a whisper. 

Tikki’s already wide eyes widened even further. “What are you going to do?” she asked. 

She knew exactly how much Marinette’s teenage crush had affected her in her youth. She hoped that those old wounds wouldn’t reopen. 

Marinette physically collected herself. She had nothing to freak out about. This wouldn’t affect her in any way. It was just her head and heart sending her mixed signals from the past. That ship had sailed long ago. And it needed to stay out at sea. Far away from her life.

A part of her was pissed at Alya for sending her that picture. Knowing it would set her off. Well, she’d just have to prove to Alya how much she didn’t care. Yep, she didn’t care at all. 

She took in a steadying breath, letting it out slowly. “Nothing.” She told her tiny, pink friend. “Absolutely nothing.”

Tikki tilted her head to the side in slight disbelief. “Really?”

Marinette nodded confidently. “Its no big deal. It’s not like I’m ever going to see him.”


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien used the cucumber scented moist towelette to begin wiping the chunky eyeliner off of his face and eyes. The dramatic black streaks connected together across the bridge of his nose. Paired with a heavy dusting of black and silver eye shadow that went past his cheekbones in a raccoon like look. The makeup artist had called the look "fierce". Adrien thought that he looked like he'd unexpectedly sneezed into a pile of charcoal.

Behind him, hanging up on a series of hangers, was the BDSM-esque outfit he'd been strapped into. Literally.

That was one ensemble that he'd been happy to get the hell out of. He swore that some of these modern designers were going just a bit too crazy with that whole apocalypse chic look. It made for great edgy photos though.

Plagg had learned long ago not to tease Adrien too much over the outfits that the designers put him into. Each ensemble tended to look more ridiculous than the last.

But this one, the little kwami had nearly laughed himself to death upon seeing it on in all its avant guard, bondage glory. Adrien kept telling Plagg to shut up so that no one would hear him laughing, and think it was him. To which, Plagg plucked one of the spandex straps and snapped it sharply against Adrien's bare skin, making him yelp.

Adrien briefly chased the kwami around the dressing room until the photographer knocked, letting him know he was ready to begin.

The only good thing about this photo shoot had been the constant rock music pumping from the speakers all around. It helped him to not focus on the fact that there had been a well-endowed female model wearing absolutely nothing except a bejeweled spiked collar and red lipstick draped across his lap.

Two hours and over a thousand shutter clicks later, the photographer and design team were finally satisfied. You could cut the cloud of built up sexual energy in the studio with a knife and serve it up as an entrée.

All in a days work. He supposed.

Adrien scrubbed diligently at his face, trying to remove all of the dark makeup. He then turned his attention to begin scrubbing off the phone number written in pen on his forearm by the bold female model. The once white towel, now tie-dyed in varying shades of grey.

Plagg sat on the vanity surface, munching happily on the cheese tray that the caterer had left behind. Thanks to Plagg, Adrien had earned a reputation of being quite fond of gourmet cheeses. Almost every dressing room had a platter or care package awaiting him. All of which, he let Plagg enjoy.

Tossing the towel down, he stared at himself in the well-lit vanity mirror. His face still streaky with remnants of the makeup. But this was as good as he was was going to get it. He would certainly need a shower and an exfoliating facewash in order to get the rest of it off.

Adrien finished up and gathered up his things to leave. Glancing at the time, it was after ten o'clock at night. He had wanted to go out and try to run into Ladybug tonight, but now that wasn't happening.

"Come one Plagg. Let's get going." He called.

Plagg stuffed a cube of cheese in his cheek.

"Doesn't Chat Noir want a fancy new costume? It's pretty snazzy looking. You'd certainly attract Ladybug's attention in that." he baited, pointing to the outfit strung up on the rack.

Adrien cringed slightly, trying to forget about that monstrosity. He glared at Plagg.

"Don't even joke about that with me right now."

The kwami chuckled and swallowed the mouthful cheese before flying over and snuggling into Adrien's coat pocket.

Adrien said his necessary goodbyes and left the studio, opting to head straight home to his newly decorated apartment. While in the back of the private car, he finally got around to responding to some text messages.

One person who had reached out to him almost instantly once news of his return to Paris had spread through the paparazzi was none other than Chloe Bourgeois. His manners had not allowing him to ignore her calls and text messages. So much so that he even promised to take her to her dinner in an effort to catch up. She was now texting him nonstop, asking to set a date. But he kept coming up with excuses to delay it.

He didn't want to keep dismissing her, but he knew that dinner with Chloe would be an emotionally draining adventure. He needed to be in the right frame of mind to finally have the energy to go. Simply because, she would make a gigantic spectacle of it. Not to mention, he was so tired of the spotlight. And Chloe still basked in it.

He cleared away her text messages. Going straight for Nino's.

Ever since he, Nino, and Alya had met up for drinks, Adrien had kept the communication going as much as possible. He'd had the best time hanging out with them. In his mind it had been the perfect "welcome back" celebration for his return to Paris. Everything flowed so easily between them, from conversation to career chat to joking around.

Alya was still an unfiltered riot of a person, which doubled when she drank. Seeing them together in their kooky, but endearing relationship made him feel hopeful for his own love life. Not that much of it existed.

He felt bad when his work kept him so busy that several days would go by before he even had a free moment to respond to messages. Or he completely missed out on opportunities to hang out due to late photo shoots or press events.

Every minute of his schedule seemed to be consumed by meetings that could have been emails. His opinion unnecessarily needed on pretty much everything that left Agreste Fashions. Frankly, Adrien didn't feel the need to approve every little thing: like the font and cardstock of gala invitations, or what the new 'it' color would be for Spring.

He was trying to encourage more independence amongst his colleagues and fellow Directors. But this constant 'must-approval-all' mindset was too engraved in their heads. It was just the way that his Father had been running the company for so long. Most people just thought that Adrien would be the same way.

Thankfully, he had managed to keep his weekends mostly clear. With only the occasional demanding social obligation. His image consultant, (if you can even believe such a thing exists) severely stressing that he should present himself as the new "man about Paris."

Adrien did several interviews and held multiple press conferences within the first few weeks of being back. It made for a lot of good press. But now that even more weeks had gone by, Adrien hoped that the newness of his arrival would have started to die off a bit with the paparazzi.

Although, he and Nino had been able to met up on several separate occasions for, what Nino referred to as, a "Bro's Night Out."

Which, in one instance, actually ended up being only one beer at a hotel bar where Nino had just finished a gig at the conference hall downstairs. The gig being a charity event and Adrien had put in a good word for Nino with the organizer. To which, Nino insisted on buying Adrien a beer to thank him.

The bar was on the top floor of the very swanky hotel. And had large, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering Paris skyline. At first, the evening was simply two friends chatting and hanging out. Nino had downed his beer quickly, looking nervous as they both sat perched on plush barstools.

Adrien was about to ask his friend what was troubling him, until he surprisingly saw Ladybug go sailing by the clear glass window, and he nearly spit beer on himself. A few of the bar patrons stood up and pointed excitedly at her as she zipped by.

He hated to leave Nino, he really did. But he couldn't let this opportunity pass him by. He had been trying to catch her for weeks.

Hastily, he excused himself from Nino, feinting exhaustion and an early morning, to go and try to catch up with her.

When he finally became Chat Noir, he used his staff to vault up onto a rooftop. Cat eyes scanning the skyline for movement of her yo-yo. But the city was quiet. He might have missed her. Cheating a bit, he used the tracker on his staff to locate her, hoping that she was still active and searchable.

When her indicator showed the Eiffel Tower, he beamed and bounded off instantly. He had waited long, agonizing weeks for this one moment to finally get to see her again. His heart was pounding so strongly in his chest that he felt slightly dizzy on his feet.

She should remember him. She had to remember him. God, he hoped she would remember him.

He landed on the tallest platform of the Tower. Cat feet barely making a sound as he walked. He found her leaning against one of the steel trusses, eyes cast outward into the city.

He watched her for a moment. Savoring the image before him again for the first time in many, long years.

Nothing had changed, she was still absolutely captivating. Perhaps even more so now that he could appreciate how much he truly had missed her.

Her hair was longer but still so dark in color that it looked almost blue. Gone were the youthful pigtails. Now she kept it out of her face with a high and tight french braid that ended between her shoulder blades. The style reminded him of that particularly awkward akuma battle when they switched Miraculous', and she had briefly became Lady Noir.

She hadn't grown much, still very petite. But she had filled out and developed gentle curves that were accentuated by that skintight spotted suit.

Even in his extended absence, he'd never forgotten about her. He had poured himself over Paris news every day – hoping to hear a story about the Ladybug. She had been one of the pillars of his youth. And thus, he had fallen for her almost instantaneously. She being someone he truly admired and strived to be like.

He couldn't just stand there and gaze at her anymore. He had to talk to her. Digging deep and finding his courage, he moved closer. Breath held tightly in his chest. He shuffled his feet, making obvious noise to draw her attention.

Ladybug caught the sound and spun in his direction. Chat Noir felt as if a gentle breeze could have carried him away when she turned to stare at him. Her oval face was masked in spots, but those unforgettable eyes still reflected endless pools. Her delicate mouth slightly agape in silent shock, but he watched, completely spellbound, as it turned into a genuine smile at his presence.

And for the first time in many long years, Ladybug stood on the same rooftop as her first partner.

"Chat Noir?" she questioned, even though she knew it was him. And the sight of him filled her with such immediate happiness that she felt giddy.

The years had been kind to Chat Noir. He was taller and (not that she particularly noticed) was muscled to the perfection of an Olympic swimmer mashed with a person who had been hit repeatedly with a sexy stick for the better part of puberty. Oh the years had been kind to him indeed.

"It's me." He confirmed. His rich vibrating tone filling the air and engulfing her ears, warming her from her head to her toes.

His blonde hair was shorter. Cut into a stylish and trendy fade up the sides, but kept longer on top. It faintly bounced when he walked, like gravity had no effect on it. It looked pet-ably soft too.

His black-on-black cat suit looked the same. Except he wore that distinctive golden bell a bit lower, exposing his entire throat as it unzipped away from his neck. It made him look more relaxed, but also gave the illusion that the magic armor would unzip further downward – if he wanted it to.

He was close enough now to extend his clawed hand towards her in professional greeting.

"Good to see you again, m'lady." He called back.

She moved past his outstretched hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, drawing him into a tight hug. Even though it was very forward, it felt fitting to hug him after all this time.

With her cheek pressed against his solid chest she excitedly said, "I can't believe you're really here."

Chat Noir froze at her sudden embrace. And her tight grip around his middle made him gasp. His body gone completely rigid and caught off guard by her boldness. Although, after a moment, he melted into her arms. Unfortunately, her sweet hug did nothing but poke at the smoldering coals of his lingering feelings towards her.

His own arms left his sides, and wrapped around her shoulders. She felt tiny in his arms. But surrounding that small frame were agile and well toned muscles. While he had grown taller and put on weight as well as muscle, she had remained nimble and flexible like a dancer.

He let his chin drop to the top of her head and hugged her a bit tighter. Hoping that she wouldn't mind. He was rewarded with soft, soothing circles being rubbed into his lower back.

Ladybug pulled away first, her face smiling up at him, even though she had to crick her neck a bit in order to look directly into his face. God, he was tall. Why did she have to get her mother's genes when it came to height? She'd love to be tall.

His green eyes flashed as the Eiffel Tower lit up with strobe lights.

"You look great, m'lady." He complimented her.

Her smile brightened. Normally compliments made her feel awkward, but his tone had been so thoughtful sounding.

"You too Kitty." She answered, meaning every word. "How have you been?"

"Good. I've been real good." He answered automatically, but when that sounded to simple and boring of an answer, he smirked playfully and added.

"Better now that I'm with you." The words purred from his lips in that same teasing, jovial tone she all-to-familiarly remembered.

She swatted him in his chest with the back of her hand and took a step away, but she was smiling the whole time.

"Still such a terrible flirt. You haven't changed one bit Chat Noir."

He laughed and it came out like a rumbling purr.

She shook her head making her ponytail wiggle, her smile never dropping. "Not one. Single. Little. Bit."

He scoffed amusingly and played it up more. He flexed and curled a hard-packed bicep in her face.

"I'd like to think that I've changed a lot." He purred haughtily.

For a brief second, her eyes went wide. It was an impressive sight to see. Any human with eyes could see that. Not that she'd ever tell him that. So she casually rolled her eyes and pushed it away from her face with one finger.

"Oh yeah?" she baited him, not letting his playfulness affect her. "I don't know, Chat Noir. You've been gone a long time. Are you sure you're ready to be fighting akumas again?"

She tapped her fingers against her lips as if thinking. "It's been years, after all. You might be a bit rusty."

He faintly gasped, pantomiming shock. "How you wound me, my lady."

She chuckled and continued to bait him. "Still… how do I know you've still got what it takes?"

He straightened up, acting serious. "Let me _purr_ -ove it to you then." He insisted. "Feel free to call upon my services. And I will willingly run to be at your side, just like before."

She crossed her arms over her chest. Not in annoyance, but in amusement. "So, does this mean that you're back in Paris for good?"

He nodded enthusiastically, eyes shining with hope. "If you'll accept this wayward stray back again?"

She dropped her arms instantly and gave him a wonderful, genuinely happy smile. Waving her hand in front of her face, shooing his silly request away. He was always welcomed back. He didn't need her permission.

"Of course, Chat. You don't even need to ask."

It was his turn to hug her tightly. Muscled arms wrapped around her so strongly that she had a hard time drawing in a full and complete breath. In fact, she couldn't breathe.

"C-Chat." She gulped. Wow, he was so strong. Holy crap strong. It made things low in her belly involuntarily tighten.

"Hmm?" he purred into her hair, breathing in lung-fulls of her scent and enjoying their closeness.

"A-Air please." She wheezed.

He let her go instantly. Dropping his arms, and stepping away guiltily.

"Sorry." He put one hand behind his head to try and conceal his awkwardness. "I've just missed you… erm… I mean, Paris."

Ladybug remembered how to breathe. Hand held against her chest to calm her own heart rate down.

Slowly, she regained her composure. She eyed Chat Noir again and felt herself smile. He was back. Truly back. And she had no reason not to be excited about his return.

"She's missed you too."

Later that same night, Adrien slipped into coolness of the silk sheets and slowly got comfortable. The bed was a little too firm for his tastes, but he didn't get to pick it out.

He was in such a good mood after finally meeting up with Ladybug that sleep washed over his consciousness almost instantly

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, jolting him awake. It wasn't an email vibrate. But a text. Sitting up, he grabbed for his phone and saw that it was from Nino.

(Nino) _Hey man, sorry for the late hour, but I need your help._

Adrien sat up in bed as he hurriedly typed his response.

(Adrien) _No big deal. I'm awake. What's up?_

Due to the hour, he was worried something was wrong. He had bailed on him earlier. Maybe this had something to do with it? God he hoped everything was okay.

He stared at the three little dots move across the screen as Nino typed a response. It seemed like he was typing a novel. The little dots kept disappearing and then reappearing again.

(Adrien) _Everything ok?_

(Nino) _lol yeah_

There was a long pause. The little dots dancing again.

(Nino) _I want to ask Alya to marry me._

Adrien physically smiled at the phone. No wonder he had hard time saying it.

(Adrien) _That's awesome. Congratulations!_

(Nino) _Thanks. ___

__(Nino) _Yeah, I've wanted to for a while. But the timing was never right, ya know?__ _

__(Adrien) _Yeah, I get it.__ _

__(Nino) _So… obviously this is super top secret. You're the first person I've told.__ _

__Adrien felt his chest swell with pride._ _

__(Nino) _I'll probably have to delete these texts lol__ _

__(Adrien) _Does she have any idea?__ _

__(Nino) No, I don't think so._ _

__(Nino) _But tbh she might.__ _

__(Nino) _Hell I don't know__ _

__Adrien chuckled slightly. He could tell Nino was nervous. Alya was really sharp. He was going to have a tough time hiding this from her._ _

__(Adrien) _Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be surprised__ _

__(Nino) _It's Alya. If she suspects something, she'll literally beat it out of me.__ _

__(Adrien) _lol__ _

__(Nino) _Can you help me pick out a ring?__ _

__Adrien stared at his phone for a moment. On the one hand, he was honored. But on the other, he was also clueless. He didn't know Alya well enough to know what her tastes were. He certainly didn't want to mess this up by giving bad advice._ _

__(Adrien) _I don't know if I'd be much help…__ _

__(Nino) _You'd do better than me. I can't even get her coffee order right.__ _

__(Nino) _At least you'd know what's trendy.__ _

__That was sort of true. Well, they could figure it out together._ _

__(Adrien) _All right. I'll try my best.__ _

__(Nino) _Thanks man. You have no idea how much help I need with this. I'm lost.__ _

__(Adrien) _Yeah. You are :D__ _

__(Nino) _Don't rub it in.__ _

__(Nino) _Meet me at the mall on Thursday around 2?__ _

__The mall? Well, he guessed there were probably jewelry stores at the mall. That wasn't the first place he would have thought to go. But it would be a start._ _

__He flipped open his calendar app to check his work schedule. A few meetings, but nothing that couldn't be moved or postponed. Besides, this was a pretty significant moment for Nino, he would have moved the meetings even if they were important._ _

__(Adrien) _Yeah, I'll be there.__ _

__(Nino) _Ok__ _

__(Nino) _Thanks again.__ _

__Feeling like the conversation was slowing down, he settled back down in bed. Laying his phone down beside him on the bed in case Nino texted again. He did after a few short minutes, and Adrien was half asleep._ _

__(Nino) _I'll try to bring backup with us.__ _

__

__

__Thursday came quickly. Thank God. Adrien found that he was looking forward to it all week. He blocked out the time on his calendar as a scheduled photo shoot, so his Father wouldn't be suspicious. And Adrien knew Gabriel watched his calendar._ _

__The mall was pretty empty of shoppers. Probably because it was mid-day on a weekday. And the fact that online shopping was slowly putting malls out of business._ _

__Adrien sat on a plastic bench next to a kid's indoor place-scape. The spot overlooked the mall escalators and the downstairs food court. The glorious smells that wafted up made him wish he'd eaten more than a banana and a protein shake this morning. There was even a pretzel vendor opposite him next to the chain jewelry store that Nino wanted to go in to. God, it took all of his self-control to just sit on the bench and try to eat only the smells._ _

__Truthfully, he could eat whatever he wanted. But years of a personal nutritionist and cut-throat trainer had turned him into a model citizen. Literally._ _

__Checking his watch, he was on time. He had Nino had agreed to meet up here at two. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he was in a mall like this. Although he was glad for the lack of crowds._ _

__He'd taken a cab here in the hopes of not attracting attention. His jeans were designer, but they looked pretty normal if you looked past the "too perfect" distressing on the knees and thigh. The black and white track jacket covered the long-sleeved deep v-neck shirt. The deep v-neck looked high fashion and ridiculous, so he kept the jacket zipped up._ _

__Although, on the way here, the cabbie had willingly pulled over and allowed Adrien to buy a baseball cap from a street vendor. It was black and had an embroidery of a cat dabbing on the front. The irony was not lost on him._ _

__He needed better blending in clothes. Maybe he'd ask Nino to help him shop after they were done? The mall was certainly the place to do it. So long as no one recognized him and started snapping photos. He could just imagine the headlines. His father would freak. For now, he kept his new hat low and tried to act normal._ _

__Luckily for him, the few people that did pass by, did not even give him a second glance. And as more time that ticked by, without anyone bothering him, the more he relaxed._ _

__Checking his watch, it was fifteen minutes past two. He shifted to pull his phone out of his pocket and check for any missed text messages or calls from Nino. In the process, he casually glanced up as a woman went power-walking past his bench. Her faded black sneakers squeaking slightly on the polished floor tiles._ _

__She stopped in front of the jewelry store peering into the store windows, but not as the displays. Her dark hair was loose but most of it was trapped underneath a wide indigo scarf that wrapped around her neck and shoulders._ _

__When she turned her head, Adrien caught her profile and he sucked in a shallow breath. Then she turned to look out into the mall, her eyes looking past him, he got a look at her full face and felt himself stand up instantly._ _

__She moved away from the store entrance and leaned against the wall, pulling out her phone as he approached._ _

__"Marinette?" he asked quietly, not wanting to scare her, but also realizing that he sounded like a total creeper. He'd die from embarrassment if he had the wrong person._ _

__She glanced up from her phone upon hearing her name. She turned around, and Adrien watched as her readable face went from confusion, to uncertainty, to shock, and then to sincere joy._ _

__"A-Adrien?" she stuttered slightly. "Oh. My. Gosh. Oh, wow. Hi!" Her expressive blue eyes lit up with every word._ _

__Inside her head, Marinette was having a mild meltdown. Her brain was trying to tell her heart to calm down, while also keeping her knees from buckling under her. In fact, she did stumble forward._ _

__So, in order to hide it. She hugged him._ _

__She hugged him like a crazy person. Oh, and it was a two-armed hug too. No going back from that._ _

__Arms suddenly wrapped around his waist, Adrien was slightly caught off-guard. But the feeling quickly drifted away as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders. Embracing her back._ _

__"Great to see you." He told her sincerely._ _

__His voice gave her chills. Marinette pulled away awkwardly, managing to step on his foot in the process. She stumbled back a tiny bit and wanted to run away screaming. She mumbled apologies and laughed nervously._ _

__Adrien felt himself smile. Yep, definitely Marinette. She hadn't changed. Prettier than he remembered though. That was something he definitely noticed._ _

__Marinette tucked a stray section of hair behind her ear. Silently wishing she had put some makeup on this morning. Oh well, fate was cruel like that._ _

__Gazing at him in all his physical glory, the words just kind of fell out of her mouth._ _

__"You look great. I mean… err… You've always looked great. But… you've grown up? Haha, yeah. Guess we've both grown up… a bit…" she muttered._ _

__Adrien stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. "I'd like to think that growing up is just a state of mind." He flashed her a heart-stopping smile. "You're only as old as you feel."_ _

__Marinette almost swooned again, but she caught herself. She had to be better than this. She wasn't sixteen anymore. God, but he was still a hunk. It wasn't fair._ _

__"Oh, oh yeah. Totally. That's a great way to look at it." She agreed, trying to keep her voice from getting breathy._ _

__"What have you been up to?" He asked._ _

__"M-Me? Oh gosh, not much really. Just working. You know? Life. Doing things…"_ _

__He nodded. "How are your parents?"_ _

__Ugh, he was so sweet to ask. She could eat him with a spoon._ _

__"Good. They're great actually. Yeah, still running the bakery. They never get tired of it." She was starting to feel better. The initial sting of his presence dulling down to just a low hum._ _

__"How about you? How have you been? How was Milan?" She kind of already knew._ _

__"I've actually moved back to Paris… I've…"_ _

__"I know." she interrupted him. And then realizing how crazy stalker-ish that sounded, she quickly tried to cover it up._ _

__"I mean, when we talked. That one time on Alya's phone. She told me. So that's how I knew."_ _

__He nodded in understanding. "Yeah, it's been like a month. No… more than a month ago now actually." He chuckled in dull surprise at just how fast time had passed._ _

__Marinette sucked on her bottom lip but then smiled shyly up at him. After being away for so long, it probably felt so nostalgic for him to return to Paris. She had never lived abroad, so she couldn't imagine what that felt like for him. But she imagined it was a lot like her finally owning her own business. She knew he had reconnected with Nino and subsequently Alya. So it was like bringing the gang all back together again._ _

__"I bet it feels good to be back." She remarked warmly._ _

__He let out a sighing breath at her honest words. They struck a cord within him. He remembered that about Marinette, she always had a way of saying the right things he needed to hear. She was a natural good-hearted soul._ _

__He gave her a gentle smile. "You have no idea."_ _

__There was a slightly awkward pause between them. Finally Adrien spoke up, "So, I guess you were Nino's backup?"_ _

__Marinette nodded enthusiastically. She turned her head and playfully whispered._ _

__"I take it you're in the loop?"_ _

__Adrien smiled at her joke. "Yeah. I'm really excited for them."_ _

__Marinette returned his smile, and started to unwrap the layers of scarf from around her neck. Revealing a simple heather grey sweater embellished with tiny white pearls along the neckline._ _

__"Alya's going to flip out. She has no idea."_ _

__Adrien paid a bit of attention as she brushed her fingers through her long dark hair. Her naturally pale skin playing beautifully off of her eyes and hair while being accented by her cool toned clothing, which all looked custom made._ _

__Her face was so expressive when she talked. She was definitely prettier than he remembered. It was a natural kind of pretty. Which, to him, was like a breath of fresh air._ _

__Averting his gaze quickly in case she caught him staring he added._ _

__"Nino's been a nervous wreck thinking that she knows."_ _

__"I can only imagine. Not much gets past Alya." Marinette glanced down at her sneakers and looked around them for a brief moment, she if she expected Alya to pop out from somewhere._ _

__"But honestly, her mind isn't even going there right now. She will be totally caught off guard."_ _

__Adrien pulled his hands out of his pockets, gesturing simply. "They've been together forever though. She must suspect something?"_ _

__Marinette smirked and raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Have you seen the two of them together?"_ _

__He tilted his blonde head slightly in confusion. "A bit. Why?"_ _

__"We should all get together and have a dinner party, and you'll see what I mean." She teased._ _

__Adrien secretly loved that idea, but he wasn't sure if she was being serious or not._ _

__"Is it that bad?"_ _

__Marinette waved her hands back and forth. "No. No, sorry, not at all. It's just… well. They bicker. It's a cute bicker though. A few mild threats thrown in. But it's all in love."_ _

__Adrien chuckled. "Ahh, yeah. I totally know what you mean."_ _

__Marinette egged him on. Her tone increasingly more playful. "You can eat popcorn to it though. It's kinda amusing."_ _

__Adrien was sold. "Okay, now I definitely need to see that."_ _

__Marinette pantomimed eating popcorn, eyes wide like she was watching something wildly entertaining. Her impression made Adrien laugh out loud._ _

__Since she was here, he curiously asked her something else. Wondering if she had better insider information than he did._ _

__"Do you know where he's going to ask her?"_ _

__Marinette shook her head. "I don't think he's thought that far ahead yet." She chuckled dryly._ _

__Poor Nino. This just wasn't his forte._ _

__A loud buzzing interrupted their conversation. Adrien retrieved his phone from his pocket._ _

__"Speaking of." He held up his phone screen so she could see that Nino was calling him._ _

__"Hey." He answered._ _

__Marinette could hear Nino's deep voice talking inaudibly through the speaker._ _

__"Yeah, she's here with me." Adrien confirmed. "Everything okay?"_ _

__There was a long pause as Adrien listened. Marinette could hear Nino talking non-stop. His tone sounded panicked but also apologetic. She could make out the words 'I'm so sorry' being repeated about a dozen times._ _

__Adrien would interject a few 'It's okay's' but, it definitely sounded like Nino was cancelling on them._ _

__She felt a wave of disappointment. She had really been looking forward to this. Plus, Adrien had certainly been an unexpected surprise. And she finally felt less like her panicked schoolgirl self._ _

__Adrien said a few more reassuring and supportive words to Nino in an attempt to calm him down. And then, he got a wonderful idea._ _

__"You know what?" Adrien spoke up suddenly, cutting Nino off. He glanced at Marinette and smiled like he was keeping a secret. "Marinette and I can handle it."_ _

__Marinette froze up. What did he mean by that?_ _

__She tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. He proceeded to wink at her. Making her cheeks warm._ _

__"Yes, I'm sure."_ _

__There was long pause as Nino kept talking._ _

__"Just tell me your budget. You can pay me back later."_ _

__A short pause as Nino told him._ _

__"Of course. No problem."_ _

__Then an even shorter pause as they finished up their conversation._ _

__"Later."_ _

__He hung up the phone and looked at Marinette who was eyeing him suspiciously._ _

__"It's all on us now." he told her._ _

__She was too dumbfounded to speak. She could handle spending an afternoon with Adrien if Nino had been around to act as a buffer. But alone. With just him. Oh god, she may not survive an hour._ _

__Slipping his phone back into his jeans pocket, he smiled brilliantly and asked, "Got any plans for the rest of the day?"_ _

__Oh if this was a dream. Nobody better damn wake her up._ _

__

__

__Leo perched himself on top of the highly polished wood countertop in Marinette's shop. His shoes kicked off and discarded, revealing pink and green painted toenails as he swung his legs back and forth to the beat of the club music pouring from the speakers on his phone._ _

__He watched Marinette as she hung off the ladder, sketching a design on the pale pink wall in pencil._ _

__The room smelled of coffee and to-go Thai food._ _

__Marinette had been frantically talking non-stop about what happened with Adrien and the ring shopping encounter. She couldn't talk to Alya about it, she'd ask too many questions and figure out what was going on. And Nino was obviously not interested in her frantic ramblings about boys._ _

__So Leo had agreed to be her sounding board. And he brought over Thai food, which they both devoured while she started from the beginning – with a rainy day and a gifted umbrella._ _

__She had to backtrack in her story several times. She kept forgetting that Leo didn't know about her history with him. And just how many years of her life she'd spent pining after this one boy. Which made the story all the more confusing and hard to explain, at least, for her. Too many little details that she kept spazzing over._ _

__Leo sat there and patiently listened until she finally wore herself out with the too detailed explanations and long winded ramblings about her feelings. He felt like he was listening to the plot of a soap opera play out._ _

__Finally, Leo told her to take a breath. "Sooo… let me get see if I can wrap my head around all this…" He called up to her._ _

__He cleared his throat like he was getting ready to sing. "You had a major - bordering on obsessive - crush on this mega-hottie-model-boy back in high school? And now, Mr. Prince Charming has returned in all his sexy glory after years of being gone… And you spent the entire day together picking out engagement rings for another couple, while people kept asking you when the two of you were getting married?"_ _

__Marinette made a long, sweeping stroke with her pencil. When he put it like that, it summed the whole situation up perfectly. Hence her anxiety._ _

__"Yep..." she all but whined._ _

__Leo turned down the music. This was too juicy to be real life._ _

__"And now… you're totally smitten with him all over again. Aren't you?"_ _

__She sighed heavily. Feeling defeated. "Pretty much."_ _

__Leo took a sip of coffee, making a face at how cold it was. That's just how long she had been talking._ _

__"So… tell me, what's so horrible about that?"_ _

__In a sudden outburst, Marinette snapped the lead of her pencil clean off against the wall. With an exasperated huff, she scurried down the ladder to go sharpen it._ _

__"Because!" she cried out, grinding away at the handheld pencil sharpener in a frenzy that matched her voice._ _

__"I've literally spent years of my life trying to get over this one guy. And now he shows up, back in Paris, out-of-the-blue, looking like a vision of personified perfection. And we're just suddenly out and about together, eating lunch, sharing taxies, and picking out god-damned engagement rings like its no fucking big deal!"_ _

__In her haste the freshly sharpened pencil lead snapped off in the sharpener, and she cursed aloud before starting to dig it out with her nail._ _

__"Breathe sugar cube." Leo told her gently, trying to calm her down. "Your crazy is showing."_ _

__Marinette shot him a dark look that made him laugh._ _

__He crossed his legs at the ankle daintily and drummed his fingernails against the counter._ _

__"Okay, okay. I get it. The fires been re-ignited. And now it's burning out of control."_ _

__Marinette successfully un-wedged the piece of lead out of the sharpener, and began to grid the pencil into it again. This time much gentler._ _

__He smirked. "Sounds like you just need a different fireman to help put it out." He suggested playfully._ _

__Marinette stopped grinding for a few seconds, slowly letting his words sink in. He wasn't wrong. But the idea also seemed impossible._ _

__Ugh, why was her life so complicated? What did she do to deserve this?_ _

__"Yeah…" she muttered unenthusiastically._ _

__She should be an adult about this. But this was Adrien she talking about. Thee Adrien._ _

__Leo's smirk twisted into a playful grin._ _

__"Or… hear me out on this one… You could put on your big girl panties and finally tell him how you feel?"_ _

__She glared at him. The expression on her face boarding on pure shock and gathering irritation. She pointed her freshly sharpened pencil at him menacingly._ _

__"Yeah, right. That's a terrible idea. Can you see me now? 'Oh, hi Adrien. Yeah, you know, I never told you but I have like this ginormous crush on you. I've actually had it for like ten solid years. And now just seemed like the perfect opportunity to completely terrify you with how crazy I am.'"_ _

__Leo waved his hands back and forth wildly, trying to divert her anger away from him._ _

__"Have mercy, please. It was only a suggestion."_ _

__Marinette took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly until her shoulders physically relaxed. She turned and headed back for the ladder, although her foot only made it up one rung before she stopped and leaned heavily against the higher steps._ _

__"I wish I could, Leo. I wish it was that simple." She rubbed her cheek against the cool aluminum._ _

__"There has always been this giant divide between us. Growing up, it felt like we were from two totally different worlds. And yet…"_ _

__Her voice cracked, emotions spilling over._ _

__"… a-and yet, h-he was s-still always s-so nice to me. "_ _

__Leo jumped off the countertop and walked over to her. Her voice sounded so heartbreakingly sad, and he poured all the comfort he could into a friendly hug._ _

__Marinette let him hug her, it made her feel better. Or, at least, made her be more straightforward with herself._ _

__"It feels so good to just talk to him again. I know I'm only making it worse on myself. I'm setting myself up for so much disappointment."_ _

__Leo pulled back from his hug, but stayed close by. "There's nothing wrong with what you're feeling."_ _

__"But I should be stronger than this. I should be moved on."_ _

__"Should-a, could-a, would-a, babe. From the way you're describing him, this boy sounds like a dreamboat. I wouldn't want to be away from him either."_ _

__Marinette's smiled dully. Yeah, he was pretty irresistible to be around. She loved spending all that time with him. It brought back such nostalgia. Once she calmed down, he was easy to talk to. They had fun together._ _

__Yeah. Hanging out with him had been fun. Really fun, actually. Despite the constant stream of salespeople thinking that they were picking out engagement rings because they were the ones getting married. They'd actually laughed for a really long time about the whole afterwards. And she'd left with his personal cell phone number that he himself typed into her phone._ _

__Letting go of another deep breath, she put the pencil between her lips and started to climb up the ladder to return to her sketch._ _

__Leo held the ladder as she climbed. "Look babe, I know you obviously want more… And that does totally suck that you've been trying to get over him, and cant. But do you at least consider him to be a friend?"_ _

__Marinette reached the height she wanted and, due to the pencil between her lips, nodded her head._ _

__"Does he consider you a friend?" Leo asked from below._ _

__She started to sketch out the petals of a blooming poppy flower. Shrugging, she answered, "I don't know."_ _

__Because she really didn't. That ring shopping encounter may have been a complete fluke. He could still be a complete enigma in her life._ _

__Leo had to know more. He believed in true love, after all._ _

__"If you texted him right now, and asked him out for coffee, what would he say?"_ _

__Marinette thought about it for a few seconds while she drew, but the answer was obvious._ _

__"Probably yes." She admitted._ _

__Leo tapped on the ladder with his nails to prove the point. "Well, there you have it then."_ _

__Marinette huffed. "But, he's just nice like that."_ _

__She kept drawing, not knowing that Leo had walked away from the bottom of the ladder._ _

__"He'd say yes to anyone."_ _

__Leo carefully walked backwards over to the stairs where Marinette had laid her purse, trying not to draw attention to himself._ _

__"Did you end up finding a ring for Alya?" he called from over his shoulder as he dug inside her purse. Hoping her answer would add the necessary fuel that his plan needed._ _

__Marinette's mind was deep into her drawing. She started adding a twisting vine below the blooming flower._ _

__"No, not yet." She answered him indifferently._ _

__"Aww… that's too bad." He replied, fingers flying over her phone's keyboard. He kept glancing up to make sure she wasn't looking._ _

__To throw her off the scent, he asked._ _

__"Are you going to keep looking?"_ _

__He hit send._ _

__"Maybe…" Her voice was distracted as her creative eyes scanned over the sketch, trying to decide where to add some leaves. She marked a few spots, then moved up higher on the ladder to extend the swirling vine upwards._ _

__Her phone chimed loudly and Leo practically squealed, but held it in. He smiled devilishly to himself._ _

__"Can you see who that was?" she called to him not looking away from her drawing, her pencil scratching along the wall._ _

__Oh, but Leo already knew who it was. He sucked in a happy breath and fired off another text._ _

__Her phone chimed again not a moment later. This time, it got Marinette's attention. She glanced over to see Leo on her phone._ _

__"Who was it?" she asked._ _

__"One sec…" he called back, fingers flying over the keys once again._ _

__"Leo! Who are you texting?"_ _

__He hit send and looked up at Marinette with a huge smile on his face. He waved her phone at her, flashing the text message screen._ _

__"Dreamboat says he'll pick you up on Sunday for coffee and to continue ring shopping. You're welcome."_ _

__Marinette nearly fell off the ladder._ _

__

__~*~*~*~*_ _

__**Author's Note: So... I have a confession. I originally intended for this story to be more fluffy and sweet. You know, very on par with the show. But, I've erm kinda written ahead of myself by about 70 pages and... well... it is definitely umm... shifting.** _ _

__**I'm flexing my naughty writing muscles a bit, and I'm rather liking the results. So... thoughts? Keep it cute or sin it up? I'd love to know.** _ _

__**Anywho, thanks for reading and showing such love to me. You guys are the best.** _ _


	5. Chapter 5

\- Chapter 5 -

As it, unfortunately, turned out, Adrien had to cancel on Marinette for Sunday. He was extremely apologetic and promised to make it up to her. Which made her physically swoon and blush at her phone screen. She was indeed disappointed, but also felt a huge wave of relief wash over her. There was only so much of being around Mr. Perfect that her heart could take. Ugh, she had to stop thinking like that.

Even as he promised to reschedule, she did not push it, and told him to take his time. She couldn't bring herself to take up a single moment of his already busy schedule. He was running a major corporation after all. She wanted to stay as low of a priority as possible.

Although, as Sunday evening rolled around, Marinette was assembling some IKEA storage cubbies and casually listening to a gossip podcast on her phone – much to Tikki's dismay.

And yet, both of them physically jumped and intensely began listening at the mention of his name along side Chloe Bourgeois'.

Turns out they were seen downtown at some swanky restaurant, looking very flirty and handsy with one another. Or, at least, that's what the announcer was inferring.

Marinette instantly went to the internet to find pictures. Which, of course, there were tons. All of them showed Chloe physically wrapping herself around his arm and blowing kisses to the cameras that followed them. She wore a slinky disco ball-esque golden dress, which looked like something you'd wear to a New Years Eve party, being held on the moon.

Adrien looked, well, like Adrien. The slim fitting grey suit doing wonders for his tall physique. A pleasant smile plastered on his lips. But it was lack luster in comparison to Chloe's. She was positively beaming with all of the attention.

Marinette felt her heart sink sadly. Had he canceled on her to be with Chloe? If that was true, it kinda hurt.

She then realized she was being stupid and jumping to unnecessary conclusions. She didn't own him. Adrien Agreste was certainly still very far from her reach. Really far. Like next galaxy over far.

Nor did she particularly care whom he spent his time with. If Chloe had somehow wormed her way back into his life, than good for her. Chloe was always more confortable with the spotlight anyway.

It still was a tough pill to swallow. Envy was gradually creeping up the back of her neck. Settling so strongly in her mouth that she could physically swallow it down. To hide her obvious irritation, she switched her phone over to rock music, cranked the volume to max, and went back to her new, some-assembly-required furniture.

The next day, while working all morning and afternoon for Mr. Cantin, Marinette slowly built up her courage and decided it was time to quit her job at the café. Mr. Cantin kept casting perplexing glances towards Marinette, as she had been quietly arguing with herself for most of the day.

Once she finished tallying up the register, mopping the front entrance, and finally tossed her apron into the bin to be washed, she felt more and more confident with her decision and headed straight for the café.

She offered to give a proper two-week notice, but her sour-souled boss only asked her to finish out her remaining shifts this week and then they were square. To which, Marinette agreed.

She left the café feeling liberated, headed quickly for the bank before going back home.

Her shop was indeed coming together. She had not painted the floral mural yet, but the rough sketch was finished. She wanted to stare at it for a bit longer before making it permanent with paint.

She had gone through most of the boxes, and started to create displays using some of her dumpster diving treasures. She had even tightly squeezed a worktable in the back and set up her sewing machine.

Her business license was valid and so were the necessary insurances. Truly, she could open anytime. But she still wanted to de-clutter a bit more, and make things look more professional.

Although, as she reached her little building and her eyes fell upon the graffitied plywood still covering the front window, she suddenly decided that it was time to be real. It was either now or never.

Unlocking the door, she stripped off her coat and scarf, grabbed a hammer out of her toolkit and rushed back outside. Putting a steadying foot on the wall, she dug the claw of the hammer under the edge of the wood and pulled hard. With each tug, the rusty nails started pulling free of the siding.

The wood cracked and splintered under her grip, but she was determined to rip it off. Dirty but completely in-tact glass slowly appeared from behind the boards.

With one final victorious tug, the plywood clattered to the ground and revealed the beautiful window. Late afternoon daylight poured into her shop, and breathed new existence into the building.

Her crisp new paint and polished floors reflected the natural light wonderfully. She'd barely need to turn lights on with all of the wondrous light that poured in.

Marinette stood on the curb and stared up at the building in silent awe. Her breath heaving in little excited breaths. This was it. There was no going back now.

A few people passing by on the street stared at her in mild curiosity. Marinette felt their eyes upon her and smiled to herself. She wanted them to be curious. This window would be the first glimpse that people would get of her designs. It was the face to her business.

Quickly, she cleaned up the plywood and headed back inside to start putting together an outfit to dress her mannequins.

She opted for something still wintery in style since the continuous cold weather had decided that it was not yet Spring. The fabric of the dress was a rich sapphire blue and was accented with a wide fabric belt of subtle black polka dots. A perfect hidden reference to her other self.

She dressed the first mannequin and set it up in the window. Running back and forth outside to check the orientation. Finally satisfied, she went to fetch a cloth and began to clean the glass.

Slowly, and with a bit of elbow grease, the dirt disappeared and she got a full view of her dress in the window. There was still a lot of empty space to be filled in, but she'd work on that later. Right now, she at least had something to present to the world. And it was an utterly satisfying feeling.

Going back inside, she left the front door open to willingly invite anyone who wanted to come in. She dove into her containers and boxes of already fabricated clothing and began to piece together another outfit for the next mannequin.

Not even twenty minutes later, a person stepped up and casually wandered in.

"Knock. Knock." A deep voice called from the front of the shop. Fingers knocking on the solid wood as he passed through.

Marinette leaned back on her stool looking towards the voice. When she saw a very familiar face, she all but bounced off the wooden floorboards and rushed towards him.

"Luka!" Marinette beamed as he strolled into her building. "Hey."

"Hey Mari." He answered her pleasantly, that delightfully deep voice warming her with those two simple words.

They hugged. It was brief and Marinette pulled away first.

Luka reached out and casually pulling a stray piece of thread that was stuck to the arm of her sweater, tossing it to the floor.

Marinette casually ran her fingers over where he just touched, smoothing the fabric back into place – not that he had messed it up. But she couldn't help herself. The sweater was oversized, contained a few holes, and nearly reached her knees. But fitted with leggings and boots, and it was a cute grungy outfit.

Her gaze lifted back to Luka.

His two-toned vibrant hair was longer and still mostly blue at the tips. Although he had bits of green thrown in now. A few of the bright locks were dreaded, and had silver wire spiraled into them.

He looked every bit like a rock star in his black skinny jeans and thin, long-sleeved t-shirt with an abstract symbol on the front. How he wasn't cold in this weather was beyond her.

To a casual passerby, he looked threatening in his dark getup and funky colored hair. People tended to avoid him on the streets or, at least, give him a wide berth. But Luka liked that he got that kind of reaction out of people. So, he dressed how he wanted. And really didn't give a shit.

Marinette had always found his look exotic. She liked that he walked to the beat of his own drum. Perhaps that was what had attracted the two of them together in the first place.

"So, you finally bought it, huh?" he asked taking a few steps around; his heavy boots made the floorboards creak.

"Rented, actually." She corrected him. "But, yeah."

He smiled gently, and licked his lips. His snake bites lip piercings bobbing up and down. A subtle homage to the snake Miraculous.

Marinette had all but squealed aloud with delight when he first got them done. Trying so hard not to give herself away, but also knowing exactly why he'd chosen them. It made her inner Ladybug smile.

It was hard to not stare at them. With his dark look, the piercings added that bit of edge that screamed 'bad boy', and left most girls positively infatuated. Especially when he was lit up with multicolored stage lights and jamming away on his guitar.

Luka turned back around to smile at her, revealing the nature of his surprise visit.

"I wanted to stop by and say congratulations. But also… I thought I would be your first customer."

He glanced around at her half-empty displays.

"Got anything cool I can wear on stage? I want to be sure I rep your brand."

Marinette felt her heart warm a gentle blush into her cheeks. "Oh my gosh, that would be so awesome. You have no idea."

Instantly excited at the prospect, she bustled around a bit, trying to find something that wasn't too girly and would work with his look. She ended up digging through a mixed basket of pocket squares, handkerchiefs and bandanas made from leftover fabric. She always made it a point to use every last bit. It was a waste of money not to. A few of the pieces she'd added a bit of lace or embroidered on some flowers, feathers or left the edges rough.

She was vaguely aware of Luka's eyes watching her. In order to hide her awkwardness, she asked him how he was doing, what's new, etc.

They talked casually as she searched around for something that "fit" him. Feeling suddenly bad that she didn't have anything that really screamed rock-and-roll. She'd have to work on that. Being the diehard fan of Jagged Stone that she was.

Finally settling on a bandana for him, she started grabbing some selections out of the basket, she held them all tight against her chest before realizing she'd selected too many.

Luka peered over her shoulder, standing close enough that she could feel his body heat, but not close enough to touch.

He reached out and pulled a particular one from the large pile forming in her arms. It was lovely hand-dyed bright red. And had Chinese characters painted in a subtle gold ink. The edges were hemmed with a sparkly gold threat that accentuated the ink of the characters.

He brushed his thumb over the characters, knowing she had painted them on by hand.

"What do they say?" he asked her.

Marinette put her pile down and stepped closer. She turned the bandana in his hands so she could read them clearly. She was vaguely aware of their fingers touching as she did so.

"That one says Lucky. That one says Prosperous. And that, says Hope."

His blue eyes scanned the characters. Finding it very fitting. "Huh, nice."

It really wasn't his style. Luka was definitely fond of black, and wore little else. He and his sister were two peas out of the same pod.

"This one." He said confidently.

Marinette blinked in slight confusion. "Are you sure?" she inquired.

He nodded slowly, dreadlocks wiggling. "Red will stand out best while on stage."

He turned those light blue eyes towards her, and Marinette felt herself gasp slightly when he added,

"It's perfect."

Marinette stood up fully and put a little bit of distance between them. Just enough to keep her stomach from doing those casual little flips. Although it was hard. Especially because she could smell the tee tree essential oils that he used in his hair.

She remembered that smell. It lingered everywhere. But especially on his pillowcases. She had many blissful mornings of snuggling into that scent while he was in the shower.

To distract herself from those vivid memories, she turned the conversation away.

"When's the show?" she asked.

"This Friday. At nine." He answered her, and then added. "You should come, if you can."

Marinette thought to herself for a moment. She might be able to swing that but she'd have to check the calendar on her phone.

"I'll see if I can." She answered honestly.

Luka nodded, half expecting that reply. "Do you know of anyone else who would want to go? It's kind of a small venue and we're trying to fill the place up."

"I can ask Alya and Nino."

"Cool. Yeah, if you know anybody else. It's only a $5 cover."

"Sure, I'll text Alya right now."

She moved further away from him to go retrieve her phone from her purse on the stairs. Once she retrieved her phone, she quickly started typing away.

Luka waited for her to finish before speaking again. He knew Marinette wasn't the type of person to text and chew gum at the same time. A one track mind, for sure. But he'd learned it over the years. It was just another one of her loveable quirks.

When she finished and looked up, their eyes met again. There was that little spark between them. It was understated, but it was there. It had been going on for years.

They had dated before. In fact, they'd been really good together. Even though they looked like polar opposites walking down the street together.

But with Marinette's non-existent social life due to her many jobs and her secret double-life as Ladybug, she just hadn't had the time to be a proper girlfriend. He deserved better than her.

So, she had asked to just be friends and take a break.

Luka had taken in surprisingly well. Better than she could have ever expected a guy to do.

And yet, she thought that she had made it very clear that she did not want him to wait for her. Because she may never be ready to be in a proper relationship. Not with her life of lies.

But, as far as she knew, he hadn't dated anyone since. And, according to his sister, he barely even flirted with fans. Although all of this was none of her business, but it still made her feel uncomfortable, like she had ruined his life.

But here he was. Still hanging around her. Still being his cool Luka self.

So now, it just left this strange lingering feeling between them. Awkward and uneasy.

It all made her feel just awful. But her anxiety inducing social skills made it almost impossible to bring it up with him again.

That was clearly her Achilles heel: admitting feelings.

Luka broke eye contact first and glanced around the interior while leaning back against the counter in a laidback manner.

"It's coming along, looks like."

Marinette blinked out of her daydream, also looking around at the space. Taking the moment to actually realize what she had accomplished in such a short amount of time.

Truth be told, it was pretty clean, freshly painted and almost decorated – which was a big step. But she still felt like she had a lot to do before she could even dream about letting people in here and hope to make an impactful impression.

"Yeah, slowly. It's definitely a labor of love, for sure."

"When do you think you'll open?" he asked.

She sighed heavily, as if the question was tough to answer. "Soon. Real soon, actually. Maybe by next week? I'm not too sure yet."

She started naming off her never-ending to-do list. Maybe pulling the plywood off of the window had been a bit to rash. The flaws still felt like they were overpowering the positives. But nothing ever seemed "perfect enough" or "good enough" to put out into the world.

Luka watched her face shift as she talked. Reading her expression easily. She'd been so quiet and secretive about this place. He knew it was weighing on her. Hence one of the reasons why he had finally just decided to show up uninvited.

"Want help?" he offered. Interrupting her train of thought as he picked up the hammer that she had tossed aside.

Marinette snapped back to reality at his offer.

"Oh! Oh, no. It's okay. I've got it under control. I mean… I'm getting there."

Luka walked over and set the hammer in the open tool box. Assuming that it went there.

He nodded, looking around once more and noticing the various curtain setups she was using as room dividers.

"Our drummer does drywall on the side. I can ask him to come by and take a look."

Marinette hugged herself slightly. While she appreciated the gesture, she just wasn't sure she could afford to have another contractor come in and do more repairs right now.

She didn't want to tell that to Luka. He worried easily. It was one of his endearing traits. And yet, her pride was also in the way of asking for anymore help from anyone.

"Thanks," she said shyly. "But I think I'm all set."

Luka gave her a dark look, eyes narrowing. She was tenacious and determined, but that was also a bit of a weakness.

"It's okay to ask for help, Mari." He told her seriously.

She nodded slowly, fidgeting with her fingers. Luka was always blunt when he spoke. He saved the pretty words for his songs.

"I know. But I still want to try it on my own first."

She needed to do this herself and with her own two hands. It would mean more if it succeeded that way.

And on the flip side, if it failed miserably, she'd have no one to blame but herself. She wouldn't feel the guilt of having bothered her friends and wasted their time over her silly dream.

She knew Luka was just trying to be helpful and honest, much like Alya. Somehow, hearing it from him, made her take it to heart. Maybe secretly because he occupied so much of her own heart. Even if she couldn't admit that out loud.

Before she could say anything more, a person stepped into the open doorway suddenly, making Marinette jump.

Ms. Gelinas shuffled in her slippered feet. Looking around the room with vague interest.

Marinette left Luka behind her, and walked towards her land lady. Smiling happily to suppress the difficult conversation swirling in her head.

"M-Ms. Gelinas!" she called warmly, "Welcome. It's great to see you."

"How… how did you…?" the woman breathed aloud in a voice just above a whisper.

Marinette saw her mouth move, but did not quite hear what she said.

Ms. Gelinas shut her slightly open mouth, and collected herself. "I'm here for the rent." She remarked coldly.

Marinette paused. The rent technically wasn't due until tomorrow. But she wasn't going to argue a single day. Especially since the woman had come in person to collect it and probably check up on her.

"Oh, you didn't have to come all this way. I could have brought it to you." Marinette reassured her sweetly.

Ms. Gelinas pulled her drape-like shawl around her shoulders tighter.

"Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" She scoffed.

Her quick eyes shifted to glare at the young man with colorful hair and gothic clothing before turning back to Marinette.

"You have it? Do you not? The rent?"

"Oh, of course." Marinette turned and went for her purse. "Just a sec."

She pulled out the envelope of cash fresh from the bank. And, walking back over to Ms. Gelinas, handed them over. Without a second thought, the woman snapped open the envelope and began counting it. The crisp new bills crinkling in her fingers.

Marinette could do or say nothing as she did so. Thinking that the woman still didn't trust her.

After a few awkward moments, the older woman finally spoke up.

"You're short fifty." Ms. Gelinas remarked coldly.

Marinette froze up. She honestly thought she had counted correctly. She did not have any other cash on her. She'd have to go back to the bank. Although, in this moment, she was positive Ms. Gelinas wouldn't believe her even if she told her that it was all an honest mistake.

A bit frantic, she opened her mouth to start pouring out apologies.

"It's right here m'am." Luka called out suddenly.

Marinette turned wide eyes in his direction as he crossed the room and handed over a folded bill to the woman with his black painted fingernails. He felt Marinette's eyes on him, and smiled down at her.

"She just made a sale."

Marinette was stunned. "L-L-Luka, that's…"

He didn't have to do this. That certainly wasn't a fifty-dollar bandana.

The audible sound of the money being snapped from Luka's fingers stole the rest of Marinette's words.

Ms. Gelinas let out a harrumph sound before turning and shuffling towards the door. Luka jogged ahead and held the already open door for her, showing her out. He was rewarded with a scowl and a muttering of unpleasantries.

Just past the doorframe, she turned and gazed oddly back at Marinette. Her face not scowling, but still not smiling.

"I like the pink." Referring to the subtle paint on the walls. And then she stepped out and left.

Marinette let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Well, that was, certainly unexpected.

Luka watched the woman leave and began folding the bandana around his wrist. Making sure that the Chinese characters showed outward.

Once it was tightly secured, he shot Marinette a half smile as he too turned to leave.

"See you Friday." He called teasingly, and then shut the door behind him.

Marinette was left standing in her shop trying to figure out what just happened. Well, one thing's for sure, she was pretty much obligated to go to his show now.

Not to anyone's surprise, Marinette did go to Luka's show on Friday. Mostly because the guilt had been practically eating her alive all week. And she couldn't come up with a good excuse to bail. None whatsoever.

She actually couldn't get him out of her mind since he'd come by her shop. Just seeing him made all the possible what-if scenarios come back to haunt her. All of them, because of her choices.

Still, at her core, she knew it was wonderful to see him.

And that was the hard part, seeing him. Every time she did there was this knotting feeling of apprehension twisting itself in her gut.

Watching him play tonight would be her ultimate kryptonite too. It was hard not to swoon to an attractive musician. Especially when he was up on stage and his eyes somehow found her in the crowd. Luka's always did.

He and his band were incredibly brilliant together. They had made quite a name for themselves and got gigs easily. Their grungy metal songs weren't for everyone. But that's just the way music is: it has no boundaries.

Never mind the fact that the venues they booked certainly weren't for the claustrophobic. This particular venue was packed wall to wall with people. And was probably breaking some kind of max occupancy fire code.

Alya and Nino were both busy and unable to attend. Even Leo couldn't come out due to the fact that he had to work early Saturday morning, because someone had decided to just up and quit.

So Marinette went alone. Not that she minded in the least. Both Rose and Juleka would be there. If she could somehow find them in the gigantic crowd of people.

Despite Juleka's multicolored hair, it was actually Rose's bright blonde locks that helped Marinette locate them. And even with the chest pounding music, Marinette clearly heard Rose's squeals of excitement at her arrival, and got rewarded with an intense hug.

Juleka had surprised everyone by picking up a job for an indie radio station. She even hosted her own late-night show and took song requests. Her fear of public speaking not reflected while sitting in a quiet studio booth and speaking into a microphone. Put her in front of people however, and her phobia was still pretty all-consuming.

Much like her brother, Juleka had grown up around music. But she wanted no part in the spotlight. Perfectly happy to remain in the shadows while continuously supporting her brother's band.

Rose had gone to night school while waiting tables and had taken enough classes to now be a certified therapist. Specializing in marriage counseling. She worked under a small private practice, and it fed her wildly hopelessly romantic nature.

Rose had been one of Marinette and Luka's biggest supporters. She had actually been the one who pushed the two of them to finally start dating. Marinette had felt like she had to break up with both Luka and Rose when she finally did call things off.

However, the two girls had been inseparable since Marinette met them in high school. They now lived together and were rarely apart from one another. Neither of them put labels on one another, nor their relationship. But they were definitely companions, if nothing else.

They had luckily commandeered a far corner near the edge of the stage. Half hidden behind the speakers and audio equipment, but they were far away enough away from the head-banging mosh pit to not get accidentally swept up.

The band seemed extra lively tonight. The highly energetic singer (for the life of her, Marinette couldn't remember his name) was jumping all around the stage and drinking whisky straight out of the bottle while he belted out songs. He was Scottish and actually knew quite a bit of Gaelic. Which he put into the band's lyrics and yelled out into the crowd.

The rest of the band was in a similar ecstatic mood. They were smiling non-stop and practically jumping along with the roaring crowd. Everyone was drinking as if to celebrate.

Even the bald headed, heavily tattooed drummer, who was perpetually known as the strong, silent type, was drinking as he played and roared aloud in a booming voice over the crowd.

In between songs, Marinette leaned in to Rose and loudly asked, "What's going on with everyone tonight?"

"Don't you know?" Rose exclaimed.

Marinette shook her head. "Know what?"

Her bright blue eyes lit alive with excitement. She grabbed ahold of Marinette's hand and gripped it tightly.

"They got signed by a major record label today. They're going to be famous!"

Marinette blinked in surprise. That was huge. Bigger than huge actually. She cheered along with Rose for a brief moment before glancing up at Luka on the stage.

The singer had his arm heavily draped over Luka's shoulder. And Luka seemed to be holding the man upright. But both of them were smiling and laughing as the singer talked about how much he loved him. His Scottish accent so heavy and thick from drinking that the words came out in a garbled shout. Although, Luka didn't seem to care and just encouraged him along.

Silently, Marinette wondered why Luka hadn't told her sooner. Surely he must have known about this before hand? Signing with a record label certainly wasn't something that happened overnight.

Or had he kept it a secret on purpose? But why? She'd have to ask him about it later. But, for now, the drummer counted them in and the band kicked off another heart-pounding song. And she got swept up into the music as Rose grabbed her hands and they both started dancing.

It was late by the time the show ended and the crowds were forced out. Even later once the band finally stopped celebrating long enough to clear out of the place and let the workers clean up and go home.

Together they all walked in a collective rowdy group down the back streets of Paris. Helping the more drunken members walk as they hollered excitedly into the night. Living it up in this life-changing moment.

People opened their windows and told them to shut up. To which the band proceeded to yell back flowery curses. Too enthusiastic to let anyone ruin their high. Albeit, some of their drunken antics were a bit boisterous for her tastes.

At Luka's request, Marinette had stayed and joined in the band's after party festivities. Mostly because this wild group of individuals were entirely too much fun to be around, so she had happily agreed to tag along.

Everyone talked excitedly about what they were going to buy with their first paychecks as famous musicians. Things like fast cars, million dollar mansions, golden toilets, and yachts were at the tops of everyone's lists. Luka's was that he wanted to buy one of Jagged Stone's legendary guitars.

Everyone was dreaming big dreams. Feeling on top of the world.

She had casually learned that the singer's name was Alan. Who then proceeded to tell her that the name Alan meant "handsome rock" in Gaelic, and "would she like to see his hard rock?"

Luka had kindly saved her from having to answer by gently shooing the poor drunken Scot away. He then stuck to Marinette's side for the rest of their walk. Eventually they all pooled their remaining cash and poured Alan into a cab home, along with the drummer – who was his roommate.

People split off and went their separate ways shortly after. Everyone coming down hard from the insanely fun evening. Marinette didn't dare check the time. She knew it was insanely late. She felt utterly exhausted and her face hurt from smiling so much.

Marinette walking alone with Luka as they headed back towards his place, only because it was closest, and her fatigue wouldn't let her walk anymore. Plus, Luka had insisted. And she couldn't exactly say no to him. Not after spending such a fun night together. And remembering what it was like to actually have fun.

They barely got inside his tiny studio apartment when Luka leaned in and kissed her. The kiss was brief and caught her by surprise. She wanted to melt into it. It was so easy to do so. But her hands naturally pushed him away.

"Luka, don't." she whined softly.

He tried to do it again, not convinced that she actually meant to say no. But she shyly moved away.

"Come on, knock it off." She pressed.

He did not try to kiss her again, but leaned his lips near her ear. "You know, I've never stopped caring about you."

Marinette felt herself blush and turned away shyly. He hadn't been drinking that heavily tonight, so she knew that there was nothing but truth to his words.

A little remorseful sigh escaped her lips. "I know."

He pulled back and stared directly into her face. "But you still don't have feelings for me?"

Marinette felt her shoulders slump in guilt. She moved past him and further into the tiny room, stripping off her coat and scarf as she walked, because his question made her chest tight.

"I just. I… I don't know…" she said weakly.

Luka's apartment was sparse of furnishings. It had an old, plaid, fabric couch that Marinette had sewn more patches on than she could count. His mattresses tucked into the corner were on a simple metal bedframe with no headboard. And a single IKEA bedside table covered in a sheet to hide the fact that it was falling apart.

Because the apartments were built rather recently, the kitchen had a small stove and a fridge. The countertops had a small opening to pull up barstools, which served as his dining room. Marinette remembered eating a lot of take out food on those mismatching barstools.

Beyond that was the only other door, which led to a small bathroom with its coffin sized shower. And the rest of his décor included: guitar stands, amplifiers he was fixing, tools of his trade, and posters push-pined into the white walls. Marinette had hung up the black out curtains that covered up the only window. And, as far as she knew, they never opened.

Luka set his guitar case down and followed after her into the room.

Her back was to him, so he put one hand on each of her shoulders and leaned in to murmur against the bare skin of her neck now that her scarf was undone.

"Could we try us again?" he asked.

Marinette closed her eyes, that deep voice of his felt alive against her skin. She didn't step away from him but kept her voice neutral.

"Us was never a good idea Luka."

He spun her around to face him. The look on his face quite serious and determined.

"Sure, back when we were young and living off ramen noodles. But I'm with a record label now and your shop is about to open. We aren't struggling kids anymore. We can finally try us again."

Marinette chewed on the inside of her cheek as he talked. She wanted to think that it could be that easy. And, sure, it all sounded possible. But there were also so many different factors to consider now.

Shrugging his hands away she took a few small steps and bumped into the couch.

"That is exactly why there can't be an us right now. Who knows where this record company will send you. You could start touring South America next week, and I'd never see you."

Luka frowned. "Oh, don't exaggerate, Mari. We haven't even recorded our first album yet. Besides, I'm not afraid of the long distance thing. Are you?"

Marinette honestly didn't like the idea. It was too scary admit it out loud. Could they make it work? Sure. It sounded easy. Even though it would probably be one the hardest things she would ever have to do. And that was no way to rekindle a romance.

But there was also another huge reason why they couldn't be together. And one that she wasn't ready to admit just yet.

"No, but… I just… I just still don't know."

She wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him so badly. She was the Ladybug. She could not be with him. She couldn't be with anyone and hide that kind of a secret from them.

Luka's chin dropped to his chest. Clearly hurt. "Do you even like me?"

Marinette closed the distance that she put between them. Drawing herself nearer him so that the lines of their bodies were practically touching.

"Of course I do." She pleaded.

Luka looked up and smiled dully. "Then why don't we start there? Would that be okay?"

In that moment, she decided to at least try. If there could ever – one day – be a them, then she had to at least say yes to this moment. Because, standing here like this, she wanted him back in her life.

She leaned upwards, "Yes."

And kissed him back.

Marinette woke up to the sound of her phone vibrating. She groaned loudly, rolling over to fetch it from her nightstand. Only her fumbling hand knocked into a lamp that wasn't hers.

Even half asleep, her Ladybug brain caught it before it crashed to the ground. Letting out a sudden surprised breath of air and remembering that this wasn't her bedroom.

Sitting up, she put the lamp back and rubbed her itchy eyes. Feeling the crusty day-old mascara against the back of her hands. Well, she probably had just smeared it all over her face now.

She looked around Luka's apartment, slowly remembering that she had actually spent the night.

Glancing over her shoulder, she looked at him, still very much dead to the world lying next to her. He had rolled as far over onto his side of the bed as possible, and was facing the wall.

She slipped out of bed and padded across the carpeted floor to fetch her phone. Which had spent the night in her purse along with Tikki.

The tiny kwami was awake and smiled at Marinette as she passed her the phone.

Marinette yawned deeply and sat down on the arm of the couch to see who called.

Her tired eyes were suddenly not so tired anymore as she stared at the missed call log. Because it clearly said: Adrien Agreste. He'd left a voicemail too. Oh, and a text message. Two text messages, actually.

 **(Adrien)** _Good Morning! I have some time this afternoon. Would you like to get together and continue our top secret mission? ;)_

 **(Adrien)** _Sorry if I woke you up._

She glanced at the time. It was nearly nine in the morning. She had three, maybe four hours of sleep. A huge part of her wanted to go back to bed with Luka. Not that he would be waking up anytime soon.

And Luka was definitely not a snuggler. Which showed by his chosen sleeping position.

In fact, if she remembered correctly, waking him up anytime before two PM was sometimes dangerous of an endeavor.

Besides, Alya's ring was also pretty important. And she knew how limited Adrien's time was. Plus, she didn't want to keep Nino waiting in case he was planning some elaborate engagement. Although, that certainly did not sound like Nino at all.

Her phone was at 17% battery. Either way, she needed to go home first. She opened the keyboard and typed a response.

 **(Marinette)** _Good Morning. No worries, I was awake. Yeah, we can meet up today. What time? Where?_

It was a fully loaded text message. So she left him to reply, and went to go wash her raccoon face. She then dressed in yesterdays clothes, which made her grimace slightly, and went back to her phone.

 **(Adrien)** _Is noon okay? Want to grab lunch first?_

 **(Adrien)** _I really don't know where to go. I just googled jewelry stores and got about a thousand results. Any suggestions?_

 **(Adrien)** _I can meet you wherever. Just let me know._

Marinette chuckled to herself. Men were so clueless sometimes. Before she responded, she gathered up her things and pulled her unbrushed hair back into a messy bun. Giving herself a mental high five for remembering to bring a hair tie.

She cast a longing look at Luka who was still completely oblivious to the morning and her movements. She'd text him later. Right now, she needed to get home, take a shower and change clothes.

While she walked towards the metro, she responded to Adrien. While lunch sounded nice, it wasn't in her budget to be eating out so much. And the drinks last night had been expensive. So she politely declined lunch and offered to meet him at another large chain jewelry store at around 12:30.

Thank goodness she had quit her job at the café, otherwise she would have been working today. Her weekends were now basically hers to enjoy. Mr. Cantin typically only needed her help during the work week.

Marinette tried to ignore the stares she got on the metro. There was no way anyone knew she was doing a walk of shame. But she couldn't get the idea out of her head. In fact, if she really thought about it, there was nothing to be ashamed of.

While they hadn't exactly discussed if they were officially back together, she felt like they were heading in that direction. And the thought made her smile to herself.

She made it back to her store and locked the door behind her. One of these days, she needed to actually keep the store open all day. But today was not that day. Maybe tomorrow? Who knows.

Tikki flew out of her purse and the two of them chatted together once Marinette got out of the shower and tried to decide what to wear. It seemed fitting to dress up a bit, considering who she was about to go meet up with. Then again, this wasn't a date. Or, at least, not a romantic one.

Marinette felt like she owed Tikki a bit of an apology for abruptly staying at Luka's last night. But Tikki wasn't even mad. In fact, she seemed happy that Marinette and Luka were reconnecting again.

Pacing back and forth in front of her makeshift closet, wrapped in a bathtowel, she continued to ponder her clothing options. But then decided it was better to dress for the weather. Opening her bedroom window, she stared out and up into the sky. There wasn't a cloud in it. The sun was out and warming the once chilly morning. It was starting to feel like Spring was almost here.

Leaving her little window open so that the cool breeze could waft in, she dressed for the beautiful weather. Letting her mood choose what felt right.

Marinette brushed her wet hair and pushed it out of her face with a navy colored fabric headband that had sapphire blue, fake gemstones hot glued onto it. Keeping with the blue theme, she opted for navy leggings with a mustard colored A-line skirt. She tucked a black and white striped long sleeved shirt into the skirt.

Satisfied with her outfit, she added a touch of blush, eyeliner and, finally, mascara. While applying chapstick, she gathered up her purse and checked her phone as it sat on the charger.

No missed calls or messages from Luka. He was probably still sleeping.

She did have a message from Adrien agreeing to their meet up location and time. But instead of words, it was just a gif of nyan cat winking and giving a thumbs up as it flew by leaving its rainbow trail.

She chuckled and shook her head slightly. Ladies and gentlemen, a junior CEO of a major company, right here.

With Tikki tucked back into her purse with some snacks, Marinette headed for the door. She hesitated grabbing her coat and scarf. It was warm enough in the sun to not bring them. But she might need them later once the sun went down – if they stayed out that late. There was actually no telling how long this would take. So she took the coat and scarf, draping it over her arm.

She bit into an apple, holding it in her teeth as she locked up and headed for the metro.

It was hard not to be filled with a sense of giddiness with gorgeous weather like this. Her flat shoes tapped happily along on the cobblestones as she walked. Although, she still stifled a yawn from the lack of sleep.

When she arrived at the jewelry store, she paused for a moment at the entrance door. Remembering their last shopping experience together and just how embarrassing it had been.

She took in a steadying breath, calming her heart. She could do this. It was just shopping. And she liked shopping. Never mind the fact that her companion was publically known as one of the sexiest men alive.

Upon opening the door, her eyes fell on him almost instantly as he was leaning over the long glass displays and peering inside. Damn, he had managed to beat her here again.

The door made a musical little chime as she walked through, alerting everyone in the room that she was here. He turned that piercing emerald gaze in her direction.

Marinette paused. Suddenly spellbound at the sight of him.

He had dressed up. Well, at least, more than last time.

Gone were the ripped jeans, track jacket and baseball cap. Instead, he was in dark charcoal grey dress pants, a pale blue button down, and a vest that perfectly matched the pants. The shirt was tucked into the pants, showing off a brown belt that matched his shoes. His blonde hair was styled perfectly with just enough gel to keep it in place without looking wet.

She audibly gulped. Crap. Maybe she couldn't do this.

Adrien smiled brightly upon seeing her and instantly walked over. They shared a one armed side hug that left Marinette feeling a bit breathless.

Pulling away, Adrien spoke to her. "Thanks for meeting with me today. I hope it wasn't too short notice?"

Marinette shifted her coat in her arms, eyes focused on anything else in the room that wasn't him.

"N-No, not at all. I-I didn't have plans. I mean, erm, I wasn't doing much of anything."

He nodded, his smile not fading at all as he took the moment to appreciate her appearance. She looked… how should he put it… effortless. Light makeup, sensible shoes, comfortable but respectable attire, and still naturally pretty. It was difficult not to notice her.

He found himself secretly wishing that they could go to lunch together.

Marinette's eyes quickly flicked up to his face, catching him staring at her. She hastily looked away to avoid his direct gaze.

"Not so incognito today I see?" she remarked lightheartedly.

Adrien shifted in place. "No, not today. I may have to go into the office later."

"Oh, I see. On a Saturday though? That sucks… I mean, erm… that's unfortunate… for you."

He chuckled lightly. "No, you're right. It does suck. But, I don't mind."

They both moved further into the store. Beginning their sweep of the jewelry displays.

"How is it though?" Marinette asked him as she looked. "Running your own company like this?"

"It's still in every way my Father's company. I'm just overseeing things now."

"O-Oh, right. I see." She murmured softly.

Realizing that he had not answer her first question, he kept talking.

"But I like it well enough. The people are nice. But it's a lot of meetings. Like, a lot of meetings." He paused for a second. "What about that one?" he pointed.

Marinette looked where he was pointing. "Where? The one in the back."

"Yeah, next to the three stoned one."

She shook her head. "Nah, too old school. She'd hate it."

Adrien huffed, and teasingly replied. "Old school? Really? I didn't realize rings could be old school. Call me Mr. Old Fashioned then."

As they kept moving along down the row. Marinette said,

"Alya likes modern and trendy things. Nothing too big, but big enough to be eye catching. Cause she'll certainly will want to take a thousand pictures of it."

She glanced back at Adrien, shyly adding. "And I like old fashioned too. So don't worry, you're not alone there."

At this point, a nosey salesperson came over and started bombarding them with questions. Marinette took the lead this time and tactfully dismissed any unnecessarily prodding questions directed at her or Adrien.

Although, after about another forty-five minutes of looking, nothing really caught their attention. So they left and shared a cab to the next destination that Marinette had researched on her phone.

While in the cab, Marinette asked him more about his role in his Father's business. Trying to keep conversation flowing as naturally as possible. Which helped curb her lingering anxiety of his presence. Although, the more they talked and laughed, the easier it became.

As if the years apart had not effected their friendship in the least.

The second store had a lot of the same designs that they had seen before. And Adrien was casually but uncomfortably getting hit on by the catty saleswoman. He handled himself well enough, having years of practice.

However her behavior was definitely crossing-the-line inappropriate, and made Marinette's chest burn in gathering irritation. She left him to fight his own battles and wandered around the store by herself until she finally couldn't take it anymore. They were on a tight timeline, and the saleswoman clearly wanted to waste it.

The final straw being when Marinette heard the distinct shutter noise of a photo being taken with a phone. She crossed the room in a huff, doing her best to turn him away, and insisted that they leave quickly. Much to Adrien's slight shock as she all but pushed him out of the door.

Now in the back of their second cab of the day, Marinette leaned her head against the headrest in slight disbelief.

"How do you deal with this all the time?" she huffed, calming herself down.

Adrien was quickly checking emails on his phone and looked up at her question.

"Deal with what?"

She rolled her head to stare at him. "Those people were taking pictures without your permission."

He shrugged nonchalantly and closed his eyes as if collecting his thoughts. On anyone else, a shrug would look uncomplicated; Adrien made it look sexy.

"I hardly notice it anymore. It's not worth getting worked up over." He said calmly.

Before Marinette could say anything more, he subtly added.

"You handled yourself pretty well though."

She smirked. "Thanks, I guess? We've kinda done this before, you know?"

He blinked at her in slight surprise. "We have?"

She giggled and nodded her head. "You don't remember? Back in high school? We snuck away from those fans of yours that were practically chasing you all over Paris. I had a towel on my head and goggles, and you were in a bike helmet?"

He thought about it for a second and then recalled the memory. "Ohh yeah. I remember now. We ended up at the movies."

That had been a unique day. In more ways than one. It had been Marinette's quick thinking that saved him. She was pretty accustomed to thinking fast on her feet. He remembered that now.

Marinette smoothed her skirt over her knees. "The disguises could have been better. I mean, what was I thinking? Goggles?" She laughed at herself and the laugh turned into a yawn.

"Sorry." She muttered through the deep yawn, covering her mouth and waving it away. "Didn't get much sleep."

Adrien noticed and offered to stop. "Need a quick caffeine pit stop before we keep looking?"

Marinette smiled happily. Coffee did sound good. "Only if you want to." She countered, knowing that his time was limited.

They were stuck in the never ending Paris traffic, and the cab was barely moving. Adrien took a quick look around outside the windows.

"I see a café on the corner over there. Let's jump out." He leaned forward and quickly paid the cab driver, telling him that they would get out here.

Before Marinette could say anything, he grabbed both their coats and opened the door.

"Come on." He called playfully, stepping out into the street.

She had seconds to decide to follow after him. But of course she did.

They weaved through the parking lot of running cars and finally onto the sidewalk. A few of them honked as they did so.

Marinette tried to take her coat back, but he held it above his head and starting walking away on his long legs. She could only chase after him, taking about four steps to his two.

They ended up walking side by side, and Marinette was feeling like the whole world was watching them. Lost in her own thoughts, she abruptly realized that the street looked very familiar. Too familiar. Especially the café they were heading towards.

The sudden reality struck her like a bolt of lightning. This wasn't just any café. This was her old job café. The one she'd quit not even a week ago.

"Umm…" she called, still walking quickly to keep up with his pace, but she was lagging behind as she physically hesitated to go further. "We can skip it. I'm fine. Tons of energy now. No caffeine needed."

Adrien slowed down his pace and smiled down at her mischievously. "Too late. We're committed now."

She didn't want to do lunch. But he was committed to at least getting her coffee.

Marinette chewed on her lip, trying to figure out another excuse. But everything sounded ridiculous.

"But…" she started to say, but they had reached the café door and he held it open for her like the perfect gentleman that he was.

Marinette took in a self steadying breath.

_'This is fine. Totally fine. It's no big deal.' She kept telling herself._

Nervously, she walked into the café, Adrien close on her heels.

Her eyes scanned the room. Hoping that her former boss wasn't there.

He wasn't, thank god.

But Leo was.

Oh no, he was totally going to freak out.

"Hey stranger." Leo called to her in his sing-song voice as she walked in. "You're looking cuu-te! What are you doing in…?"

The rest of his words stopped instantly once he laid eyes on Adrien as he appeared from behind her.

In fact, Leo may never speak clear, coherent sentences again. Men weren't allowed to be that pretty. Oh god, it was like Leo had created him in a lab.

"Woof." He muffled under his breath.

Marinette approached the counter quickly, trying to pour unspoken words into her eyes and facial expressions.

 _'Please, for the love of all Leo, don't cause a scene.'_ She mentally spoke to him.

She turned around and faced Adrien. A wide, nervous smile plastered on her face.

"I-I actually come here all the time heh heh heh. They know me here." She half-lied, and then quickly turned back around so he wouldn't notice her obvious nervousness.

They gave Leo their orders. Marinette tried to pay, but Adrien beat her to it.

Leo watched their interactions with a curious and inquisitive sideways glance. Especially when they playfully, but stubbornly, fought over who was paying. He said nothing, only watched Marinette turn pink, and actually give in to him.

Leo let out a little audible huff in surprise. The girl never gave in to anyone. Was this a date? If so, holy heck, she really didn't need his help. Not when she could wrangle in Adonis' straight out of fairy tales.

He decided to turn his attention back to the gorgeous hunk of man flesh, and turned up his customer service smile up to eleven.

"And, what's your name?" Leo asked him, poised to write it on the cup with his purple sharpie. A deviously clever way to learn it.

Adrien didn't think anything of it and casually replied. "Adrien."

"Adrien." Leo repeated it longingly as he wrote it in swirly letters, and used a tiny heart for the 'i'. His face blank and expressionless like the name held no particular meaning.

Then he understood.

The weight of the name slamming into him like a wave.

"Oh."

He looked at Marinette with a panicked wild look forming on his face. Clearly about five seconds away from freaking the fuck out.

Marinette quickly put her finger against her lips. Begging him with her eyes not to lose all control. But she could see it physically building in Leo like a volcano about to burst.

"Oh!" he exclaimed again.

"Oh my god!" His voice about three octaves higher than normal.

Adrien was slightly taken aback by his reaction. He glanced at Marinette in silent question, who quickly dropped her hand away from her mouth, and smiled sheepishly up at him.

"Uhh… To go." She added gently. Hoping to curb Leo's reaction to Adrien. "Please."

Leo reined it in. But it physically hurt him not to explode. No wonder she didn't date other guys. Not when she had this hunk of a human hidden away.

But as he prepared their coffees, he decided that he just couldn't let it go. This was just too good to be true. Besides, Marinette owed him an explanation. And he was determined to figure it out with or without her.

"Well." He mused as the milk steamed. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" Leo practically begged.

Marinette regrouped and remembered her manners. "Oh, sorry. Adrien, this is Leo. Leo, Adrien. Leo's a… uhh… good friend."

Leo stopped what he was doing immediately and delicately extended the back of his hand out towards Adrien.

" _Enchanté._ " He flirted.

Adrien took his four fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Ooo." Leo purred, his glitter eye shadowed eyes going wide. "Such big hands."

Adrien smirked, not missing a beat. "Feet too."

Leo gay gasped. "Oh. My God. And fun- _ny_!"

He leaned past Adrien to glare at Marinette standing just behind him.

"Dang babe, where were you hiding this one? Do you just have like a carousel of hot guys in your life?"

Marinette's breath caught in her throat in shock.

"Leo!" she hissed aloud. Her face red with both anger and embarrassment. He did not just say that. Not in front of Adrien of all people.

"I kid. I kid." Leo playfully countered, waving his hand dramatically in the air to dismiss his words. Thank god he caught himself, as Marinette was literally staring daggers into him.

But then he leaned across the counter to fake whisper to Adrien. Drawing him in with a curling finger.

"Please rescue her, she's been so pathetically single for years now. I swear it's just the saddest little thing you ever did see."

In that moment, Marinette could have leaped over the counter and rung his scrawny neck. Instead she all but collapsed into herself. Face buried into her hands. She may never emerge again.

Even though she couldn't see it, Adrien was smirking at Leo's words.

"You don't say?" he baited the other man, fishing for more information. He quickly glancing over at Marinette who was clawing at her own face.

Leo poured hot frothy milk over the shots of espresso, adding bit of cinnamon on top of the foam.

His voice was lighthearted and he faintly hummed as he talked.

"It's such a crying shame. I mean, just look at her. Just about as cute as they come. Wouldn't you agree?"

Adrien didn't quite know how to answer that without making Marinette feel even more uncomfortable, so he said nothing.

Leo quickly put his mind at ease, in case he hadn't already figured it out. He flashed Adrien a confident look.

"Not that you ever need to worry, sunshine. I whole-heartedly bat for the other team."

"Leo…" Marinette whined behind her fingers. "Stop… please… I'm begging you."

Oh but he didn't.

"Babe, come on, relax." He told her. And then turned back to Adrien. "I swear, the girl just can't take a compliment. Did you know that she owns her own business?"

Adrien paused for a long moment at Leo's words. Caught completely by surprise. Slowly, he shook his head. He actually didn't know. She hadn't brought it up. And he suddenly left wondered why.

He glanced in her direction again; her gaze was averted and she was staring at the floor while she played with her hair.

Leo kept talking. "You didn't? Oh, well. Oops-ie. Cats out of the closet now."

He snapped the lids on top of both coffees and handed them over.

Adrien pushed the coats further up his arm and reached for both drinks. Hesitating, his eyes never left her. Was she keeping this a secret? If so, why? He would have wanted to know.

"You do?" he asked.

Marinette reached past his hand and grabbed her own coffee. Huddling the warm cup in her hands, she quietly muttered, "It's no big deal."

Adrien opened his mouth to say something but Leo beat him to it.

"It's a huge deal! You've literally poured your heart and soul into this place. I mean, who actually has the nerve to start up an endeavor like that? I'm telling you, no one, that's who. You're a modern day entrepreneur."

Adrien nodded in quiet agreement. After all, he was running his Father's company. It certainly wasn't something that he had built from the ground up. His casual view of Marinette widened just a bit upon hearing all this. He was itching to know more.

Marinette smiled into her cup. Words like that were nice to hear. It almost made up for Leo's earlier big mouth. She was still having a hard time looking at Adrien. God, she hoped that he wouldn't push to know more.

Leo leaned closer and whispered under his breath so that only the three of them could hear.

"You just say the word babe, and you know that I'll quit this dump and come work for you."

Marinette smiled and decided to forgive him. That was just Leo's personality after all. Besides, Adrien didn't seem to bothered by Leo's outrageous attempts to push them together.

They slowly thanked Leo for the coffee and said goodbye. Which included Leo running around the other side of the counter and hugging both of them. Although, when he hugged Adrien, he definitely lingered and make a swooning face in Marinette's direction – which made her laugh.

Once outside, Adrien pulled at her arm. Finally bringing her attention back on him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his voice going all serious.

She shrugged, trying not to sound conceited and repeated herself. "It's not a big deal."

"I think it is a very big deal. You should be proud of yourself."

Marinette sipped her coffee, burning her tongue almost instantly as it dribbled past her lips. Wiping her mouth and feeling like an uncoordinated idiot, she played it off.

"Oh, I am. I swear, I am. Its just… nothing major, ya know? Just a little boutique. Nothing fancy."

He casually touched the end of her burgundy scarf, which was wrapped up in her coat that he was still carrying. It was stitched with a shimmery silver thread, which caught the light and gently sparkled.

"Nice scarf, by the way." He told her.

"T-Thanks." She swallowed hard. "I-I made it."

"Really?" his voice sounded genuinely interested. "It matches your coat really well."

Marinette smiled weakly. "I-I actually made that too."

Adrien circled her, paying attention to her outfit once again. He had recognized the custom work, but had not put the pieces together until now.

She felt his eyes scanning her from head to toe and it made her heartbeat pick up.

"You've opened your own fashion boutique, selling your own designs, and didn't think to tell me?"

"Y-Yeah." She answered shyly. "To be clear though, I didn't actually know you until a few months ago."

He nodded. "True. But I would have loved to know about it. What you've done… that's really good work, Marinette. I sorry that I completely forgot that you were into fashion."

She ducked her head slightly. "Yeah. It's kinda been my uhh... thing for a while now."

"I'm glad you're pursuing it. You definitely have the talent for it."

She blinked repeatedly at his kind words, feeling her knees swoon. She gulped down a happy squeal that bubbled up in her throat. That was perhaps the biggest compliment of her life – coming from him.

"T-T-Thanks." She stuttered.

She could have told him more. But her lack-of-an-ego wouldn't allow it. She certainly didn't want to be showing off to Adrien Agreste, of all people. He was the acting CEO of a major fashion label and brand. Besides, she had nothing really of note to brag about.

"Not planning on putting me out of business, are you?" he teased her gently.

That joke got Marinette to smile and actually look at him. "Ha! Yeah right. I'm a long way from that."

"That's not exactly a 'no' then, is it?" Adrien amused her.

She giggled and sipped her coffee again, this time without burning her mouth.

"You never know? It could happen."

Adrien gasped. "Marinette, I do believe you mean that." He poured sarcastic shock into his voice.

Reaching out, she gently took her coat and scarf back from his arm. Her voice was filled with sass as she slyly remarked,

"I'll be taking these back now then. I don't need _the competition_ stealing any of my ideas."

He laughed out loud at her words and action, throwing his head back and cracking up for several seconds. He hadn't expected her to say that. He hadn't been so caught off guard by someone in a long time. It tickled him to his core.

When he finally stopped laughing, there was a long pause with nothing said between the two of them. People passed them by on the street as they just stood there together.

Marinette tapped on her paper cup, trying to think of something to say. She was a bit surprised at herself.

"Hey, look." Adrien called as he stepped past her and pointed to a store across the street.

Upon reading the sign, it was jeweler. Not necessarily a jewelry store. She had forgotten it was there.

"Worth a shot, right?" he called.

Marinette nodded and smiled. "Yeah, let's go check it out."

They actually ended up having great success in the store. The jeweler had a nice selection of modern and antique looking rings. All of them expertly cleaned and maintained. After about an hour of excitedly looking around, they had narrowed it down to two beautiful options. And then pondered those two options for another hour and a half.

They tried calling Nino to get his final opinion, but he didn't answer. So, in the end, they made the executive decision together. Coming in slightly over Nino's budget by about fifty bucks, but Adrien was more than willing to make up the difference.

They also had a nice long chat with the jeweler. Who was a sweet man in his early seventies. He had been running the business with his wife until she passed about two years ago. He also thought it was "mighty kind" that the two of them were willing to pick out a ring for their friends.

It made both Adrien and Marinette feel good about their decision to buy from him.

Finishing up with the purchase, the jeweler had stepped in the back to go get more receipt tape for the credit card reader.

Adrien had excused himself to take a phone call and stood near the front windows to get better reception.

Marinette tucked the ring box deep into her purse. Tikki happily snuggled up closer to the velvet box and held onto it tightly.

Once the jeweler returned and printed Adrien's receipt, Marinette tucked it into her purse – just in case Nino absolutely hated the ring and wanted to return it. She thanked him kindly, said goodbye for the both of them, and slipped into her coat.

The sun wasn't quite set yet, but the shadows were growing long and the temperature was dropping.

Quietly, she walked towards Adrien who was still listening intently to his phone call.

Marinette didn't want to bother him, the call sounded important and business-y, so she hastily wrapped her scarf around her neck and gave him a shy wave as she headed for the door.

Adrien saw her wave goodbye and gestured with a single finger to wait for him.

Marinette sucked in a breath and obeyed his silent command. Unable to resist. She had almost made it out the door without a lengthy goodbye.

Another thirty seconds later, Adrien finished his call and strolled towards her.

"Were you really leaving without saying goodbye?" he asked, pouring a bit of sarcasm into the fake sad words.

The sarcasm was lost on her. She thought he was being serious, so she quickly countered.

"No. No. I just, didn't want to bother you. The call sounded important. And I-I figured you didn't need me anymore hanging around you anymore, so I was just going to head home."

He frowned slightly. "Don't be silly, I enjoyed spending time with you, Marinette."

Marinette's expressive eyes grew larger. "Oh. Oh no, I mean. I did too. I really did. I just… didn't want to intrude?" It was a poor word choice, and it sounded stupid leaving her lips.

Surprisingly, he chuckled lightly. "You're not intruding at all. This was fun."

Marinette ducked her head shyly. Remembering all the times when the sales associates thought that the two of them were the ones getting married, or were hitting on him, or when Leo nearly exploded upon meeting him. All those situations made her cheeks burn.

"Right… s-so fun." She muttered.

Adrien nodded slowly, not noticing her embarrassment. He was rarely embarrassed anymore. Besides, he did truly have fun. He had no reason to lie about that.

Switching topics abruptly he stared out of the window looking for the car his assistant had called for him when he first took the phone call.

"Want a lift home?" he offered her.

The car was coming take him back to his office, but he didn't mind making a quick pit stop where ever she needed to go.

Marinette shook her head. Mostly because she didn't want him to see where she lived. Or her little shop. He'd probably think it was incredibly tacky. Even though she knew he would never admit it.

"It's okay. I need to run some errands anyway before heading home." She lied.

He poked at his phone screen for a moment. "Let me at least call you a cab?"

Bravely, she reached out and covered the screen with her hand. "I'll just take the metro. It's no problem."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, moving her hand away. "Yeah… I mean, yes. Absolutely."

He pocketed his phone. Feeling nostalgic by what she said he added, "You know, I kinda miss taking the metro. I don't think I've ridden it since I've been back in Paris."

Marinette smirked and waved his words away. "Oh, you're not missing much. It's still the same."

He smiled dully. "Still, I bet if you and I were to race. You'd easily beat me back to Agreste Fashions by taking the metro. The traffic in Paris has become ridiculous."

She matched his smile. "Ha! Yeah you're probably right."

Then she thought about what he said and kept talking. "Wait, are you really going back to the office at this hour?" It was certainly pass normal business hours and it was still Saturday.

He nodded and his shoulders slumped forward a bit. "Never a dull moment unfortunately. I swear I spend more time in my office and conference room than I do in my own apartment."

Marinette thought of a little joke and smiled to herself. Then decided she would say it aloud.

"Maybe you should just put a bed in your office?"

His smile brightened and he let out a throaty laugh. "I've honestly thought about it. Although, I do have a pretty comfy couch in there."

He leaned in close enough so that he could whisper. "Which I may or may not have taken the occasional nap on."

She giggled. Her creative mind was imagining what his office looked like. Probably furnished with a rich mahogany L-shaped desk, flanked with bookcases that contained very few books. And then she pictured Adrien – dressed in his smartly fitting suit – sprawled out on a couch, sound asleep.

She covered her growing smile with her hands, trying to hide it. But the images were bombarding her brain.

Like him taking a conference call while on an elliptical machine.

Or of him sitting at the head of a large conference table, listening to a powerpoint presentation while eating sushi with perfect chopstick etiquette.

And finally, him leaning one graceful arm against a large glass window that overlooked the bustling Paris streets far below. A sad but determined look on his face.

"Something wrong?" he asked, noticing her distant facial expression.

"Hmm?" she barely recognized that he was speaking to her. Her mind now imagining him shuffling through paper reports while sitting behind that giant desk, a cup and saucer of coffee forgotten beside him.

He waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Marinette. Come in Marinette."

Marinette physically shook herself. Her eyes caught sight of the fancy, black towncar that pulled up in front of the store.

"Car." She stated, pointing out the window.

Adrien's eyes followed her finger and watched as the driver pulled up to the curb, before getting out and standing beside the car.

He turned his attention back to her. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. Sorry, just being a bit of a space cadet. Don't mind me."

He smirked. "You haven't changed, you know?"

Marinette felt her mouth form a little 'o' in surprise. Her cheeks instantly lit themselves alive once again.

This time, he noticed her blushing, and it made his smile grow. It was a sweet reaction. And he had meant every word.

"It's a good thing. I promise." He told her gently.

Marinette ducked her head, taking his compliment and letting it wash over her like a cool breeze on a hot day. She tucked a long piece of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah… I guess so." She muttered while she fumbled with it.

He checked the time on his watch. "Sorry to dash off so suddenly, but I've got to get going."

Before she could respond, he pointed to her purse and added playfully, "I trust you to safely deliver the cargo?"

She smiled, gripped the strap of her purse, and nodded her head. "You can count on me."

He opened the door again, holding it open so she could walk out first. Marinette scurried outside into the weather. The day had been warm, but it definitely was chilly with the sun going down.

Adrien waved goodbye to the jeweler and then followed her outside. The cold wind struck the back of his neck. He hadn't put his own coat on and wished he had.

The driver opened the backseat door as Adrien approached. Even though she was wrapped up in her warm coat and scarf, he still felt bad about letting her walk home in the cold.

He called back to Marinette who was just a few steps away.

"Are you sure that you don't want a ride?"

She turned towards him, flashing him a wonderful smile as the wind played with her hair.

"I'm fine. Thanks anyway though."

Her smile made him smile. He leaned against the open car door.

"Hey!" he called to her. "Keep me updated if you hear anything? You know, with our top secret mission."

Marinette patted her purse, feeling the precious contents safely inside. "You too. Nino will definitely still need to be talked down from his ledge. I'm sure of it."

He waved to her, and she waved back before turning around and walking away. Adrien got into the car and scooted across the leather seat. The driver promptly shut the door and went back to the front.

Inside the quiet of the car, he watched out the window as Marinette continued walking down the street. By the time the driver was able to merge out into traffic, she was already a few blocks down. Although, Adrien could still see her by her lovely coat.

**Author's Note: Woo, long chapter is long. I had a lot to say lol. I hope everyone is happy and doing well. Apparently a lot of you want this fic to turn into sin. (Which I am actually leaning towards hehe). So I'll be sure to update the necessary warnings when the time comes. I still want to keep with the slow burn effects for now. Thank you for reading. Comment and say Hi!**


	6. Chapter 6

The pot of water bubbled lively on Marinette's little two burner hot plate. She slid her thumb under the cardboard tab and sectioned out a chunk of uncooked pasta before dumping it into the boiling water.

Tikki hovered nearby, ready to stir with her long handled wooden spoon as the noodles cooked down.

Marinette turned and began to slice up a plump red tomato and zucchini. Once the pasta was almost done, she tossed the raw vegetables into the water letting it all cook in the same water.

Tikki carried the plastic strainer into the bathroom – which was the only place downstairs that had a sink – as Marinette carried the bubbling pot clasped between her pink oven mitts.

Straining out the food from the water, the pair went back into the main room and settled down to finally eat.

The lonely apple and latte from earlier were long gone, and her stomach had been growling the entire walk home from her afternoon with Adrien. So much so that she almost broke down and got take out food. But, deciding on the more cost effective option, and headed for the grocery store. Which made her stomach scream even louder at her as she walked through the isles of food. She could have seriously bought the entire store. Things just kept finding their way into her handbasket, until it was overflowing, and she was forced to put them back.

Remembering her budget, she behaved herself, and only bought what she needed to make large, multiple portion meals. Although, a box or two of cookies may have miraculously ended up in the bags. Her brain justifying that they were for Tikki and her to share.

Although the candy bar was all for her. And she devoured it on the walk home why carrying the rest of her groceries.

She twirled the pasta with her fork and scrolled through her phone. She had texted Luka earlier, and he still hadn't responded.

She really needed to talk with him. Although it was proving difficult to muster up the courage to do so.

She did not regret sleeping over last night. Because that's all they did. Sleep. Sure, it was in the same bed. But she had passed out so quickly that she wondered if he had wanted something more from their night. Maybe that's why he was blowing her off?

Marinette set her phone down sharply. Physically shaking her head back and forth to clear the thought away.

No, that wasn't a fair judgment to make on him. For all she knew, he had passed out just a quickly as she had. This could all be in her head.

And yet, why did she always have so many doubts when it came to Luka? Was it the reoccurring guilt of ending things with him a few years ago? Or the fact that he'd stuck around, even when she didn't? Was he expecting her to wait for him, because he had waited for her?

God, that thought made her stomach drop in the sheer realization of her obligation.

And now that his band was with a record label and she had her shop, it was as if their roles had reversed. She was finally settling down roots, and he was the one to be soaring away.

Perhaps these were the sacrifices she would have to make. No one said finding love would be easy. But she never imagined that Luka, one of the most uncomplicated people on the planet, would make her heart feel so, well, complicated.

Still, the giant elephant in the room was admitting to him that she was Ladybug. The last time they dated, there was more than one occasion that she had flat out lied to him in order to be able to sneak away and go transform.

He probably thought she perpetually had a stomach bug with how many times she used that as an excuse to flee.

Or that she was secretly sneaking off to be with someone else – he actually had asked her that once. And she had all but panicked with an outpouring of nonsense as a response.

It would have been as easy out to admit that there was someone else. Even though there wasn't.

She took another big bite, chewing and swallowing while she thought.

"Tikki." Marinette asked her kwami. "Do you think it's okay if I tell people that I'm Ladybug?"

Tikki slurped up a spaghetti noodle into her tiny mouth before speaking. "People, or just Luka?"

Marinette smirked, Tikki knew her too well.

"Just Luka, I guess. I'm certainly not going to make a billboard for all of Paris to know."

Tikki selected another noodle and held the end of it in her pink hands. "It's your choice, Marinette." She answered honestly.

Years ago, she would have advised against it. It was too risky for a teenager to be discovered as a superhero. The implications on her family and loved ones were too great. But, her Chosen was an adult now – capable of making her own decisions. And, while the risks were still there, they affected her as an individual.

"But… What if I'm wrong?" Marinette asked her. "What if I make the wrong decision, and he ends up getting hurt because of me?"

For all she knew, he was already hurting because of her. Not that she thought she was capable of it, but she may have broken his heart once upon a time.

"You trusted Luka enough with the Snake Miraculous." Tikki reminded her. "He did well with that responsibility."

"But that was only temporary. I'm a full time Ladybug. Chat Noir is a full time Chat Noir. I feel like there is a significant difference there."

Tikki began chewing on her pasta, taking small bites at the end of the noddle. In between her chewing, she turned her wide eyes up to Marinette's forlorn looking face.

"Yes, you and Chat Noir were both chosen differently by Master Fu. You both have a lot more obligation than the people who only borrow the other Miraculous powers."

Marinette pushed a large chunk of zucchini around in her bowl. "So you're saying I shouldn't tell him?"

Tikki dropped her noodle. "I'm not saying that at all, Marinette."

"Then, what should I do? I can't be in a romantic relationship with someone and lie to them. It's like cheating."

Tikki finished her pasta and flew up into Marinette's face, pouring sympathy into her blue eyes. "Go with your gut. Only you know what's best for you."

Marinette let out a heavy sigh and took another bite of her meal, letting their conversation die for the moment. Although it still weighed heavily on her mind.

Once she packaged away the leftovers and cleaned up, she looked towards the stairs and smiled dully at the thought of snuggling into her bed early.

However, as a police car raced by her front window with its sirens blaring, she decided that it wasn't time to sleep just yet.

Calling for Tikki, she raced outside, quickly locked up and jogged for a few blocks before ducking into a darky alley to transform. She zipped away on her yo-yo, following the police car.

About an hour later, she sat atop the Arc de Triomphe, watching as the traffic circled beneath the famous monument in the world's biggest roundabout. While gazing out into her vast city, she was also casually observing a happy couple down below. They were snapping selfies using the bright flash of their phones. Giggling loudly together as they posed for photos with the monument.

Ahh, the City of Love. It really shouldn't be so complicated. Love should just be that easy.

A sudden whooshing noise came over her head, and she was unexpectedly joined by Chat Noir.

"Found you, m'lady." He purred.

"Hey Chat." She called nonchalantly, and didn't make any move to get up. Her full mind was making her stomach feel sick.

He squatted down next to her, peering over the edge to see what she was looking at. But found nothing of importance.

"Up for a little nighttime patrol of our beautiful City?"

She didn't answer, eyes looking lost in thought. Another flash went off from the camera below. Her gaze saddened as the couple was now kissing one another, and capturing the moment.

Ladybug swallowed down her envy like trying to swallow a stone.

"M'lady?" he called to her again.

"Hmm?" she answered.

He gestured towards the glittering city before them. "Patrol?"

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts away. "Sorry. Yeah. We can. Just… lost in thought."

"Something on your mind?" he asked her, then adding slyly. "Besides me, of course."

She rolled her eyes and slowly stood up on her own feet, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck to the side. However, her eyes still looking glassy while she stretched.

Actually, it casually dawned on her that if anyone could understand, it would probably be Chat Noir. But, then again, he seemed like such a goofball, would he really take her questions seriously?

Still, she decided to at least try. This was too important to her to just let it go.

"Chat?" She asked, turning towards him. "Can I ask you something? On a somewhat serious note?"

Even with the mask on his face, his green eyes faintly glowed. The cat-like pupils expanding in the low light. He stayed crouched down, only turning his head to follow her movements.

Ladybug sighed heavily. Trying to think of the right way to express what she was thinking. In the end, she just kept her words simple.

"Do you ever feel like your secret identity prevents you from living a normal life?"

He tilted his head in silent question, kitty ears honed in on her like mini satellite dishes.

"Example?" he suggested.

She huffed. "Like… well, okay fine, like dating, relationships… How do we lead that double life? Where is that line in the sand?"

He gasped dramatically, putting a clawed hand over his heart. "M'lady, are you asking _meow_ -t?"

Her eyes narrowed at the pun, while she took a stern step forward.

"I'm being serious here!" she added, popping him in the shoulder with her fist.

Chat Noir beamed even as her fist hit him sharply. " _Paw_ -some. I'll pick you up Saturday. Do you like sushi?"

"Chat!" she cried out in annoyance.

He chuckled warmly, letting his jokes dissipate away. Plopping down on the edge of the famous monument, dangling his feet over the edge. He swung his feet back in forth happily.

His puns were always just an act to get her riled up. He liked pushing her buttons. It was a friendly dynamic to hide his true feelings.

Ladybug was about to say goodbye and leave, thinking that he wouldn't say anything further. So, it actually shocked her when he did.

"I think its okay to tell someone who you really love who you are." He spoke out into the night.

He smiled dully at his own words, realizing how much he believed in them. Then he turned that emerald gaze back up to her and sincerely added.

"And I'm not just talking about you and me."

She let out a little breath, recognizing his serious tone and finding comfort in it. She sat down beside him, mirroring his body language.

"Have you ever told anyone?" she asked hopefully.

"No, I haven't." He answered honestly. "Not yet, at least." The shrugged. "Guess I never found the right person to want to tell."

He looked down at both their legs dangling off the edge.

"What about you?" he asked, itching to know why she had brought it up in the first place.

"I… I'm not sure." She answered. "I think I want to. Tell someone, that is. But, I'm worried."

"About?" he asked. Trying to ignore the fact that she clearly wasn't talking about him.

She gave him a look. "You know how it was when we were younger, our kwami's practically ingrained it into us that we couldn't tell anyone about our secret identities."

Chat Noir shrugged again and leaned back on the ledge, lifting and stretching his long legs out into the air. He let out a throaty groan as the deep stretch felt so good.

"Maybe yours did. Mine's a bit of a troublemaker." Oh if Plagg could hear him say that, he would definitely bite him.

The comment made her giggle. The delightful sound washed through him and brought out more truths. Her giggles stopped abruptly when he kept talking, his voice lowering and his tone quite serious.

"I kept mine a secret to protect my family, my friends, and… you." He added the last bit while turning to gaze longingly at her.

She nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of his words and his eyes. She had been right to talk to him about this. They both shared the same fate. And the same desires.

Turning her head towards the sky, she could barely make out a few twinkling stars in the light-polluted Paris sky.

Chat Noir watched her look into sky. He subtly felt his breath catch in his throat at her beautiful masked profile. It wasn't fair. For both of them, it just wasn't fair.

She opened her mouth to speak but then shut it again. Mouth twisting with the unspoken words.

"What is it?" he insisted.

She smiled and forgot about the sky, choosing to focus on her partner who sat beside her. He had been gone for so many years. She had forgotten what it was like to have a confidant. Someone she could relate to, and who could relate to her.

"What if though… What if you truly felt like you could trust the other person?"

"Trust them to keep your secret?"

She nodded. "Then wouldn't it be better than trying to live a lie?"

He answered her question with a question. "Or are we just destined to be alone?" he asked turning his gaze out into the night.

He let his question weigh on both their minds. Yearning to know what she thought. Because he truly thought about this all the time.

After a long pause, Ladybug shook her head gently, pulling her knees up to her chin and laying her cheek against them.

"No, I don't think so." She spoke softly.

He leaned closer. "Really?"

Her smile brightened. "Yeah."

Trying to break up the heavy conversation, she playfully added, "But it's going to take one hell of a really special person to put up with all our crap."

He smirked, leaned back, and folding his clawed hands into his lap. "Yeah, you're definitely right about that."

Ladybug eyed him musingly. "Something's changed in you Chat Noir."

In the distance, the Eiffel Tower sparkled with strobe lights. Signaling the top of the hour.

" _Purr_ -haps." He chuckled as he watched the light show. "But I also feel like we can't go through life being alone forever."

Then sadly adding, "Even if it hurts to reopen old wounds."

Marinette walked home slowly. Her conversation with Chat Noir replaying in her mind. He had, inadvertently, giving her the advice she had been struggling to find. Somehow, coming from him, it felt more real.

She reached her store and unlocked the door. Heading upstairs to get a change of clothes and then back downstairs to shower.

As the chilly water washed over her body, she began to understand that it was worth giving it a try. She had to hope that she was making the right decision.

Lying in bed with her wet hair, she held her phone in her hand, staring at his name.

**(Marinette)** _Hey. It's me. Can we maybe talk soon?_

Over two and a half weeks later, the wayward pair finally found time to get together. The gap in time wasn't due to the lack of trying. Marinette had been pushing hard to meet with him face-to-face. It was Luka that appeared apprehensive. Not to mention, the man rarely got up before noon. And Marinette was up early either rushing to work at her one remaining odd job, or actually opening her front door and her new business to the world.

She had a lot of good foot traffic the first few weeks. Curious consumers poked their heads in, wondering what they would find inside the tiny building. Her updated social medias being what had brought in actual paying customers. She was eager to please any custom request, and had received a lot of promises to return back.

Feeling hopeful about her business and Luka, it was time to face the music.

Somehow, she had convinced him to meet her for brunch. They sat down on the little café tables outside of Marinette's parent's bakery in the lovely Spring weather. Being on somewhat neutral ground for her because of the familiar setting and free pastries, which helped loosen her lips and give her that little bit of needed sugar.

She had been unusually quiet as her mind spiraled with just how to tell him. He may not even believe her – which was a rather scary thing to have to consider.

Marinette pushed the flakey crumbs from her just devoured chocolate croissant around on her plate. Half-listening as he talked about the record deal, and potential titles for their first album. She kept pushing him to talk more about it and himself, so that she could keep herself distracted.

It should be easier than this. Why was it so hard?

Luka sat back in the plastic chair, looking concerned because he could tell something was on her mind. She kept glancing around wildly, worried like someone would overhear their conversation.

"What is it?" he asked her. "You're awful quiet."

She pulled her hands into her lap, gripping her fingers into fists under the table.

_'Just tell him. If you're going to make this work, he needs to know.'_

"Luka, I really want there to be an us again." She admitted out loud. Step one complete. She breathed a sigh of relief.

He smiled and leaned over the table, as if reaching out to her. "Me too." He said warmly.

She sucked in a steadying breath, glad that he thought so. At least she didn't feel alone there.

"But… you see I-I… I'm… erm…"

He waited for her to say it. But she kept babbling nonsense for a long time. Talking about how she liked him. Liked him a lot. But she was too scared to admit it. And then she didn't want to hide anything from him.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying not to be frustrated, but failing.

Thinking the worst, he said what was bothering him most.

"What?" he insisted. "Is there someone else?"

Her face shot up to frantically stare at him. "N-No! No of course not. Well, erm… I guess there kinda is. But… I-It's m-me. I'm the someone else…"

His brow knitted in frustration. "I don't understand."

She collapsed inward, smacking herself in the forehead for how stupid her words were.

"Ugh, I know. I know." She groanted. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm such a spaz. This is just so hard for me."

Luka's eyes went wide.

"Oh..." He said suddenly.

Marinette winced slightly. Oh god, did he somehow figure it out? This wasn't good. His reaction sounded scared.

"Please, wait. Let me explain."

He stood up abruptly, the chair falling down behind him. His blue eyes looking beyond her.

"Oh, shit."

He reached down and dragged her out of her seat with a firm grip on her arm.

"We've gotta go." He told her sharply.

"G-Go?" she breathed.

An explosion roared to life behind her. Following by the sound of squealing car tires and people screaming.

Marinette braved a look over her shoulder in the direction of the sounds. Her quick eyes scanning the nearby buildings.

Sure enough, lumbering around just a few blocks away was a huge, ten story tall, metal robot monster, looking like something out of a space-age comic book. It was firing purple lasers from its domed head. Its spaghetti flailing arms striking nearby buildings and breaking off giant chunks of concrete.

Marinette let out an annoyed moan. Really? Now of all times?

Another explosion sounded over her shoulder, making Marinette wince. The akuma was moving quickly in their direction. People were running and screaming in all directions as debris and glass rained down upon them.

She hated larger than life akumas, they caused the most panic.

Luka pulled at her arm, urgency pouring from his voice. "Come on. We've gotta run."

She bit her lip, her instincts kicking in. "Wait, we should help…"

Another violent explosion shook the ground, causing a deep crack in the pavement to open up, swallowing up a nearby car. The car's alarm howling as it disappeared from view.

"No time. Run!" he yelled. He took off in the opposite direction, pulled her along behind him for a few hurried steps.

Until she put on the breaks and resisted him.

Pulling her arm out of his death grip. Her voice was composed and brave. Instantly switching into Ladybug mode.

"You go. I'm going back to help."

Luka stared at her, his blue eyes wide with panic. "Are you crazy? The akuma's right there."

She turned away from him, trying not to give away how calm she truly was with the whole akuma situation. But maybe he would begin to put the pieces together?

"Those people are scared. Someone has to help." She told him confidently over her shoulder.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle it." He called to her, reaching for her hand once again. But she pulled away sharply.

"What are you doing?" he yelled as another explosion quaked around them. Knocking them both off balance. "Don't be dense, Mari. You'll only get hurt if you go."

In that frantic moment, the pair stared at one another. She could tell him right now, the truth was practically burning in her throat. Luka looked downright scared, but also perplexed by her words and actions.

In the panic, something flashed across his face. An expression that she did not like seeing: an apparent eye roll mixed together with contempt. In those several heartbeats, she saw what he thought of her.

In a calm, collected, but firm voice, she said. "I'm…"

His eyes narrowed and he glared at her in disapproval.

And the reveal died on her lips.

"… going, Luka." Her fingers gripped into loose fists. "I have to help."

She gave him one last passing glance, before turning, running down the street and towards the danger.

Luka watched her go. Stupefied at her actions. He knew Marinette was brave, but this was ridiculous, not to mention, dangerous. What was she trying to prove by going back? Not only could she get hurt, but why was she always trying to show him up? Fear and resentment boiled in his belly.

Another explosion rocked the ground beneath his feet, and he was forced to run away and seek shelter before he was trapped under a pile of falling concrete.

Marinette quickly ran from him, feeling disheartened tears burning in her eyes. He had called her stupid. And it had made her immediately angry. She may be a lot of things, but stupid was not one of them. Not when it came to protecting her city.

Besides, if running head-on into battle against a magical enemy like this was stupid and rash, than she would rather be called stupid, than cowardly. Not when there were people who needed her help. And she had the power to fix all of this.

Sliding, she stopped to help pull an older man out of a monster footprint sized hole. His glasses were cracked and broken, and he was covered in a fine layer of dust from the building rubble, but he nodded wordlessly and followed her instructions.

She ran further into the chaos, weaving around the large chunks of concrete broken off from the nearby buildings. The streets were littered with debris, downed utility poles, and smashed cars. Her flat shoes crunched loudly on shards of broken glass.

Her powers would fix all this, but it still hurt her heart to see this kind of destruction.

Glancing around wildly, she looked for a place to hide and transform. Opting for an overturned bus about fifty yards away. The akuma was not far ahead, its robot-like domed head swiveling in all directions, firing bright purple lasers seemingly randomly.

Although, upon closer inspection, she spotted her feline counterpart jumping and leaping wildly around, trying not to get hit by the sizzling beams.

The urgency of the situation just doubled in her mind. Reaching the overturned bus, she glanced around for any potential onlookers, but the coast was clear. Everyone was running in the opposite direction or was long gone.

"Tikki, _Spots on_." She called, feeling the transformation across her skin.

In a matter of seconds, she was Ladybug, and propelled herself into the air with her magical yo-yo.

She reached the akuma and repeatedly spun around its metal legs, wrapping her yo-yo's string and ensnaring them. To her delight, the robot stumbled with its next step and toppled over. Nearly face-planting on the ground.

Chat Noir was at her side in an instant, his voice humorous and purring. "Fashionably late, my Lady?"

She cast him a playful sideways glance, retracting her yo-yo.

"I thought I'd give you a good head start. You know, get your feet wet again?"

"Pfft, cats don't like water. Remember?"

The robot's head turned in their direction, and they had nano-seconds to jump out of the way before a laser blast scorched the ground at their feet.

They were running side by side, dodging the laser blasts as the robot slowly pulled itself to its feet.

"Are you trying to in- _furr_ … that I am… out of practice?" he called to her as they moved together.

Ladybug skidded to a halt, spinning her yo-yo as she reflecting a laser blast away.

"This is your first akuma in a long time, Chat. You might have forgotten how it's done." She teased him as she blocked both their bodies with her twirling yo-yo

He gasped dramatically and teetered back and forth on his feet as if about to faint. Putting a clawed hand over his heart.

"Your words wound me, bugaboo."

The robot had almost righted itself onto its own feet once again. Its mechanical voice droning on and on about saving the universe, bringing peace to the galaxy, etc.

Ladybug threw her yo-yo into the air, summoning her special ability. "Lucky charm."

A pair of binoculars landed in her hands. She curiously turned them over, wondering what the heck she was supposed to do with them.

Chat Noir smirked playfully. For perhaps the first time, he knew exactly what they were for. Satisfaction physically puffed into his chest.

He lowered his stance, looking ready to pounce. He'd show her just how ready he was to be fighting akumas again. The years apart had certainly not made him rusty.

Being sure he had her full attention, he tapped his claws on the binoculars. "Watch this. Prepare to be dazzled."

He rushed forward, running quick circles around the robotic akuma. Pulling its attention to only him. Laser blasts tore up the ground around his feet. But he was too quick to be hit.

Ladybug watched him hurry away into the fight, leaving her behind to gawk. And when she realized that she could barely see his movements, she huffed, and fitted the binoculars to her eyes.

Guess even her magic wanted her to watch as he showed off.

She observed through the magnified lenses as Chat Noir spun the robot into dizzying circles. So much so that little bits of hot steam started coming out of its domed head.

Using his staff, he propelled himself upward. In the same fluid movement, he twisted the staff around and brought it slamming down on top of the mech. With such force that it completely cracked the domed headpiece, and sent a shower of electrical sparks in all directions.

The robot started to malfunction, spewing hardware as it surged and jolted wildly. Chat Noir rode the robot like it was a bucking rodeo bull. Letting out little woops and hollers of excitement as the akuma broke down.

And then, as if someone had flicked its off switch, the robot shut down. Teetering on its metal legs, looking ready to fall.

Ladybug moved, ready to throw her yo-yo and catch it in a web of strings before it hit the ground.

But at the last second, Chat jumped off and used his elongated staff to prop the dead mech upright.

In a sizzle of steam, the robot leaned against the unbreakable staff, defeated.

A little black butterfly fluttered away, looking a bit lackluster. Ladybug grabbed it up with her yo-yo and purified it. Sending the white butterfly up into the sky.

"No cataclysm needed." He boasted, returning to her side.

"So it would seem." She countered sarcastically.

"See? I'm just that good. Not need to thank me."

She chuckled softly, but also rolled her eyes. She called forth her Miraculous Ladybugs to fix the destruction, and the pair watched the flurry of insects correct all the akuma's mistakes.

The mech dissolved away, revealing a disoriented child in a store bought superhero costume. The two real superheros calmed the boy down until his mother appeared and took him home, mumbling something about too much TV and the effects of violent video games.

Watching them walk away, Ladybug pushed her fist towards her partner.

"Look like you did alright, Chat Noir." Ladybug told him sincerely. "Good to have you back for real."

Chat Noir gazed longingly at the gesture. He bumped her fist with his own. Relishing the sensation that it gave him.

It took Nino over a month to finally come pick up Alya's ring. When he did, he was sweating, swearing, and all-around panicking. He was having a hard time coming up with the where, when and how of asking her. And the suspense was literally killing him.

He was barely sleeping. And horded his phone like a caged animal with food. Worried that she would figure him out. His frantic actions only making her more suspicious, which made him freak out even more.

Marinette had received a few concerning text messages from Alya. And while Alya had no idea about the engagement, she still thought Nino was behaving recently like a "spaz" or "running around like a chicken with his head cut off."

Which sparked Marinette to push Nino to finally come get the ring. And figure out a game plan, before Alya wised up.

Which, when he arrived and finally saw the ring for the first, made him spiral into a mini happy-emotional meltdown. Leading to: where was going to hide it from her? Marinette offered to hold onto it until he could figure it out. But that only led back to actually asking her, and he was rattled all over again.

The two of them stood in Marinette's shop. Well, Marinette stood. Nino was frantically pacing the tiny room and knocking into her displays. Then apologizing profusely as he tried to put things back on their hangers and not succeeding.

Adrien was dialed in on speakerphone, listening in from his office because he couldn't be there in person. Even though he wished he could be. Nino had called him to thank the both of them together for finding the ring. And their conversation had spiraled from there. Poor Nino sounded like he was about lose his mind.

Marinette stood by the phone that Adrien's rich voice poured out from every few seconds, watching as Nino tried to hang up a strappy sundress. She kept telling him to leave it alone, but he wasn't hearing her.

Adrien casually asked her how her shop was doing. And she spastically told him that everything was great, super, fantastic, wonderful, and add in about a dozen more descriptive adjectives to hide the fact that she was kinda lying. Things weren't really all that great. She had officially opened and had a few sales, but nothing significant. The past two weeks had been nothing but lookers and browsers, barely any sales. But it was to soon to completely panic.

Besides, she could only handle one panic-y person at a time and, right now, that was Nino.

Between the two of them, they tried to get Nino thinking about the logistics of asking Alya. While also keeping him calm.

The engagement location was the current topic. They were throwing around ideas. Adrien was secretly Googling 'things to think about before you pop the big question' on his work computer.

"Do you want it to be a private thing with just the two of you? Or do you want a party?" Adrien asked, reading off an online script.

"Alya would love a party." Marinette told them. "Oh! What if it was a surprise party?"

"How am I supposed to throw a party? Let alone a surprise _engagement_ party?" Nino wheezed. The man was a DJ and a professional party maker, but somehow this was freaking him out.

They all pondered that for a moment.

"What about that bar we had drinks at when I first got back to Paris?" Adrien offered.

Nino snapped his fingers as if the light bulb suddenly went off. "Now that's a good idea."

Marinette nodded her head. "Yeah, you both like that place, right? You know the owners. Lets ask them if we can rent it out for a few hours."

That seemed like a good fit. It checked all the boxes.

Nino came over and sprawled the top half of his body across the countertop, his head into his hands. "What do I do though? Do I decorate the place in flowers and streamers? Do I get a cake, or something? Do I have to wear a suit and tie? I get the one knee thing, but what happens after? What if she says no?"

Marinette put a calming hand on his arm. "She won't say no. Don't even go there."

"Agreed." Adrien said through the speakerphone.

Nino let his head slip out from beneath his hands, taking his glasses off to clean the lenses on his shirt.

"Just try and stay calm. This is supposed to be one of the biggest nights of your life." Marinette told him.

"Way to keep him calm, Mari." Adrien teased.

She made a side-eyed look at the phone.

Nino chuckled. "No, I'm calm. Or, at least, I'm calming down. I know how big of a deal this is."

Marinette nodded her head. "If you use the bar, then you'll have food and drinks already there. All it takes is some phone calls to who you want to invite to be apart of your special night. And, when she comes, just be yourself. Speak from the heart. She'll love anything you do, Nino. She really will."

"Marinette's right." Adrien chimed in. He was physically smiling at the phone as Marinette talked. He couldn't have said it better if he tried. "Don't complicate things unnecessarily on yourself. Keep it simple."

"As simple as a surprise engagement party can be." Marinette teased back.

She heard Adrien chuckle warmly through the phone speaker.

"Who do I invite though?" Nino pondered.

"Who do you _really_ want to be here?" Adrien asked.

"Her sisters and her family, my parents, oh, and you guys, for sure." Nino responded.

"It's a good start." Marinette agreed.

"Anyone from her work?" Adrien offered.

Nino thought about it for a second. "Yeah, yeah, actually I could think of a few people that she'd want there."

His forehead hit the counter with an audible thump that probably hurt. The force of impact making everything on it jump.

"But how will I get Alya there without her suspecting anything?" he moaned against the smooth wood, his voice wreaked with disbelief.

Marinette righted her jar of pens that had been knocked over. "Leave that to me." She told him confidently. "You just tell me when."

A bit of a girls day out with the promise of juicy love-life gossip, and Alya would follow Marinette anywhere.

Nino looked up briefly, taking in a steadying breath and letting it out slowly. "Okay. Okay. I think… I think that this will work."

"It will work, Nino." Adrien told him. "We've got your back. Whatever you need, just tell us, okay?"

Nino picked his head up, finally a look of self-assurance streaked across his face. He adjusted his glasses on his nose and stood up straight.

"Can you start texting Alya's family?" He asked, staring at Marinette who nodded instantly.

He then glanced down at the phone containing Adrien.

"Can you meet me at the bar after work on Friday, dude? Help me get set up?"

Adrien agreed without hesitation.

"This Friday?" Marinette wanted to confirm.

Nino nodded and smiled. "Yeah. I've made her wait long enough. Let's do this thing."

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading. I hope everyone is doing well. I'm already working on the next chapter, so you won't have to wait long for it. Promise. Oh, and Leo thanks you all for the love that you guys give him hehe.**

**Side note: Anyone read stories on Webtoon? Cause I'm overly obsessed with a lot of them. What are your favs?**


	7. Chapter 7

Marinette waited patiently for her dinosaur of a computer to open the spreadsheet from her flash drive. She wiped a layer of dust off of the monitor as the little cursor spun and the computer hummed and whirred along, trying its very best.

While she waited, she glanced around the room that was once her childhood bedroom. Well actually, up until a few months ago, she had still been living in it. Now, her parents used it for storage. And without her furniture, decorations and belongings in it, the space looked and felt empty. Still, the memories lived on.

The computer had remained here because she really didn't have a place for it at her shop. Besides, even though Marinette was its heaviest user, it was still her parent's computer. Although, judging by how slow it was running, the poor thing may not survive for much longer.

Her spreadsheet finally opened, and Marinette began typing in her recent expenses. Watching as her savings was slowly dropping lower, and lower, and – heartbreakingly – lower still.

She had very little positive cash to input. Beyond her small paychecks from Mr. Cantin and the even smaller sales from her shop, the numbers weren't going up. Not at all.

Marinette hung her head and tried not to get emotional, as the data didn't lie. In fact, it showed her exactly how long she had left to live out her dream.

She may not last until the end of the year. Or, at least, not without begging for her old job back at the café. And then, she would have absolutely zero time to actually have her shop open so people could come in during normal business hours.

She always knew that this wouldn't be easy. Owning your own business was not for the feint of heart. But, somehow, she had at least hoped to be doing better than this? She could not have worked so hard only to fail within the first year?

Besides, she didn't want to be washing dishes and pouring coffee for the rest of life. She wanted to work in fashion and design. She wanted to see people wear her clothes down runways as camera flashes popped like lightning. She had dreamed of this for her entire life for crying out loud. She wanted this more than anything.

Or… or maybe… was she just a terrible designer? Maybe that's why her clothes weren't selling? Had she dreamed up this fantasy of immediate success? No. But she had hoped to at least keep her head above water. Not drown so instantaneously, like she never knew how to swim.

Marinette brought her elbows up onto the keyboard, letting her face fall into her hands. She sucked in a soft sob.

Tikki's wings brushed against her neck, blowing little puffs of cool air against her skin. It was a comforting sensation and kept any tears from spilling over.

"It'll be okay Marinette." Tikki consoled her gently.

Marinette let her hands drop away, sniffed sharply, and her wet eyes refocused on the numbers displayed on the monitor.

"Maybe I should take out a small business loan?" She questioned aloud.

"You said that you wanted to avoid doing that." Tikki reminded her, settling down on Marinette's shoulder.

Tikki was absolutely right, she had said that. Multiple times in fact. The last thing she wanted out of this whole endeavor was to put herself into debt. Because one loan, would turn into two, maybe even three, and then she'd be upside-down paying off her foolish dreams with nothing to show for it.

Sighing heavily, she opened her banking app on her phone and transferred some money from her savings into her checking account to help cover some upcoming bills.

Scrolling down, she stared at the balance of another savings account effectively labeled "ICE". In case of emergency.

It was the only other money she had that was not figured into her business budget. It was her rainy day fund. Her last ditch effort that would keep her afloat when everything else was projected to dry up by the end of the year.

She had diligently told herself to never to touch it. Because if and when everything went to shit, she could at least afford to eat and live for a few months while she rebuilt her life. The money silently mocked and judged her – knowing it was her only lifeline to return to the real world.

A familiar melody floated up from the open hatch that led into the downstairs of her parent's home. It was the opening song to a terrible reality TV show that her Dad was obsessed with. Which also meant that it was nine o'clock, and she needed to be getting back.

Tomorrow was, after all, a very big day. And she had a major part to play to see it succeed.

Saving and closing her spreadsheet, she gathered up her flashdrive and shut down the tired computer. With Tikki safely hidden in her purse, Marinette headed back downstairs to say her goodbyes and collect her tupperwares of yummy leftovers.

At least she wouldn't have to worry about meals for a few days thanks to her amazing, supportive parents. Free food always tasted better.

Once they said their goodnights, Marinette headed for the nearest metro station. The trees were beginning to bud as Spring had finally come to Paris after a long, dreary Winter. The weather was warm and downright gorgeous during the day, with cool nights that allowed her to sleep with her little window open.

Sitting down across an entire row of available seats on the empty metro car, Marinette pulled out her phone and read through her recent messages. Being one hundred percent certain of her plan of attack for tomorrow.

She, Adrien and Nino had been frantically texting all week, making the necessary secret preparations for tomorrow night. It took all week, but they had a plan now, and were ready to make it happen. Adrien had even started texting her privately from the group chat as they discussed their own covert roles and responsibilities.

Or sometimes he texted just to say good morning and even asked her about her day. Which was more touching, than swoon-worthy. To which, she responded playfully and their conversations just got sillier from there as the week rolled on.

**(Adrien)** _New models at Agreste Fashions. What do you think?_ (inserts a link to a montage video of cute animals dressed up as people)

**(Marinette)** _lol_ _It's 10am_ , _aren't you supposed to be working Mr. CEO?_

**(Adrien)** _I am working._

**(Adrien)** _But this meeting is sooo long and boooring._

Inserting a gif of a cat falling asleep and then jumping awake suddenly.

**(Marinette)** _lmao_

Then a few hours later.

**(Adrien)** _What's a jabot?_

**(Marinette)** _lol_ _You're asking me? I have no clue._

**(Adrien)** _Well,_ _apparently they are "coming back."_

Because he had now put the thought into her head, she couldn't stand not knowing what it was. Marinette instantly googled the term on her phone, chuckling out loud at the search results. She sent him an image of an old painting showing a man wearing one.

**_(_ ** **Marinette** **_)_ ** _Omg, apparently it's a flourish of lace or ruffles around the neck. Like a pirate._

**(Adrien)** _Oh. Hell. No._

**(Marinette)** _lol I don't know though… I do see a lot of images men wearing them haha. Are you gonna bring it back?_

She sent him another googled image of another painting of a stoic looking young man wearing one. Although this one lacked ruffles, and was just a giant bow of bold fabric.

**(Adrien)** _My eyes! Spare me the images._

An hour and a half later.

**(Adrien)** _Welp, guess what I'm wearing right now?_

Before she could answer, she got a picture message of him standing in front of a well-lit mirror. The atrocity of a shirt he was dressed in looked like someone had sprayed a can of whipped cream all over his chest and then hit him repeatedly with colorful paintballs.

**(Marinette)** _OMG!_

He could wear anything. He really could. But this one was hard to like. He looked like a clown mixed with a flamenco dancer. She started to type ' _take it off'_ , but hastily deleted it.

**(Marinette)** _That's a look! OMG lol_

**(Adrien)** _I really want to like it. But… I just can't. I really can't._

And after that, they had been doing these kinds of non-stop texting conversations back and forth all week.

Marinette physically smiled at her phone as she reread their conversations. Who knew that she would ever be so comfortable texting Adrien like this? And who knew he could be so silly? Or had he always been like that? It was difficult to remember back from all those years ago. Either way, she was delighted to be doing it now.

Closing that series of happy messages, she paused before tapping on another – because it made her chest feel tight with anxiety to read through them again.

On Monday she had written, **(Marinette)** _Hey. We are all meeting up Friday night at that pub near Alya & Nino's apartment to celebrate their engagement. Can you come? It's a big surprise for Alya._ _Please keep it a secret if you see her._

No reply from him. He did read the message though. So, that hurt.

On Wednesday she tried again.

**(Marinette)** _Hey, me again. Did you see my last message? Are you able to come? I'd really like it if you could be there._

Nothing. Again. Only the notification that he'd read it.

So then, with her last ditch effort, earlier today she tried one last time.

**(Marinette)** _Hey… umm… sorry to keep bothering you. I just wanted to check and see if I would get to see you tomorrow at the party?_

Thirty minutes later. She finally got a response. But it wasn't the response she wanted too. In fact, it read like he really didn't care at all.

**(Luka)** _Sorry, been busy. I have practice Friday. Can't go. Tell them congratulations for me._

**(Marinette)** _Ok. Talk soon?_

And then absolutely nothing for hours and hours. She wanted to throw her phone against the wall in frustration.

Was it so wrong of her to want him to be there? To want the man she _might_ be dating to celebrate with her and everyone? Was she reading into his silence too much? Luka was never much of a texter or a communicator, for that matter. Was he, as he said, really just busy? She had no idea what went into making or recording an album. Perhaps she wasn't being fair on him.

And yet, it still hurt to be ignored like this. It hurt a lot. She didn't know whether to be mad at him, or mad at herself.

Exiting the metro station, Marinette made her way back home, yawning as she walked. She had to be at Mr. Cantin's store in the morning, but then she was only working until about three in order to get to Alya's office and stake it out until she got off of work.

If all went according to plan, she'd catch Alya as she left for the day and insist that they go grab a drink or drinks so that Marinette could talk about her "boy troubles." Easy enough subject to talk about, considering she was nearly drowning in them.

Not to mention, she and Alya hadn't caught up in ages. And while the both had their own lives, Marinette missed her best friend.

Opening her door, her eyes glanced at her updated window display. She had bunched up some fabric around the base of the mannequin, making the outfit look like it was floating in a sea of waves. And, using some cardboard boxes as makeshift risers hidden beneath the fabric, she had neatly folding some pastel colored blouses that matched the white one pinned on the mannequin. Paired with long, light denim colored skirt and wide, braided, brown leather belt. A floppy, ivory colored, wide brimmed hat with an accent brown ribbon that matched the belt was perched on the head of the faceless mannequin. The whole display was lit with some battery-powered lights, strategically hidden amongst the bunched fabric.

She had quite a few fingerprints on the exterior glass. Obviously people were looking, although very few were actually buying.

While Marinette was brushing her teeth, she heard her phone buzz in the other room and walked to see who it was.

**(Adrien)** _Ready for tomorrow?_

Marinette smiled and held the toothbrush in her cheek as she typed a response.

**(Marinette)** _Yeah :) How about you?_

**(Adrien)** _Yep. I'm so freaking excited. And I'm not even the one getting engaged lol_

**(Marinette)** _That because we've been such a huge part of the process, so it feels extra special._

**(Adrien)** _Yeah, you're absolutely right. Plus, they are so perfect for one another._

**(Marinette)** _I totally agree._

She left her phone to go finish brushing her teeth and climbed into bed. Tikki was already asleep on the pillow next to her. So Marinette took extra care when she lay down to not disturb her.

Her phone vibrated again and she picked it up.

**(Adrien)** _I just realized what time it was. Sorry to be texting so late._

**(Marinette)** _It's no big deal. I'm still awake anyways._

**(Adrien)** _Yeah, me too. I don't sleep much._

She paused before replying. Noticing he had admitted such a personal thing to her. Her mind was left wondering if he was lying in bed just like she was. Tired, but also still wide-awake because her mind was so full.

**(Marinette)** _Same here._

Way across town, Adrien was indeed laying in his own bed. The silk sheets were thrown off of him and bunched up at the foot of the bed because it was warm in his apartment. The central heat and air worked way too well. But he was too lazy and comfy to get up and adjust the thermostat.

He stared at Marinette's last text. Wondering what kept her up at night. He started typing words to ask her, but deleted them. She may not want to tell him or not appreciate him prying into her personal life. Even though the two of them had been getting closer over the past few weeks. And certainly a lot more this week. He liked texting her. He didn't have to pretend to be someone he wasn't.

**(Adrien)** _You should try and get some sleep._

**(Marinette)** _You too._

Adrien rolled onto his back, staring up at the high ceiling, and let his phone drop against his bare chest. Sleep still seemed to evade him. His calendar was full of back-to-back meetings for tomorrow. Giving him with just barely enough time to leave and make it to the pub ahead of Marinette and Alya.

He had an outdoor couture runway show this weekend in the gardens of the Versailles Palace. There would be a lot of required handshaking and hobknobbing press events to follow. He'd much rather spend the weekend with Nino and Alya celebrating their engagement.

His phone chimed again just as his eyes fluttered closed. He squinted at the bright screen as he read her words.

**(Marinette)** _I'll see you tomorrow at the party. (I can't believe its finally happening!) Have a good night._

He smiled. Yeah, he would be seeing her tomorrow. That was definitely a plus.

**(Adrien)** _You too._

* * *

Alya was in a definite mood when Marinette surprised her outside of her office building the next day. And her response to being offered to grab drinks was a resounding, "Fuck yes."

Marinette barely needed to talk about herself – which was a good thing.

Alya was on a warpath about something that was happening at work. She was apparently up for a promotion soon. But the stars weren't properly aligned yet for the interview to take place. She was about at her wits end with all the red tape and bullshit excuses.

The two girls called for an Uber ride share to cut down on the cost. But even sharing a car with a bunch of strangers didn't stop Alya from speaking her mind, or finally asking Marinette what the hell was going on between her and Luka.

Marinette told her about the show and subsequently about spending the night.

"Oh god, you didn't sleep with him, did you?"

"Alya!" Marinette hissed embarrassingly. There was another young girl still in the ride share, but she had her headphones in – hopefully listening to music, and not their conversation.

"Hey, no judgments here if you did. We've all got our needs. Plus, I remember how good you said the sex was when the two of you dated last time. Figured you'd gone back for a second helping."

Despite her burning cheeks, Marinette crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "I'm not sleeping with Luka."

Alya gave her a look. "But you want to, don't you?"

Marinette shook her head slightly. "That's besides the point." She fidgeted with a loose string from the embroidery on her capri pants. "He wants to be in a real relationship again. And I'm scared…"

"Of what?" Alya asked her point blank, cutting her off. "Of how good you two could be together? Or that you might finally be happy by letting him back into your life?"

Marinette shrugged. "Yes? I don't know. It's more complicated than that."

"I think you're making it complicated on yourself." Alya muttered, while she scrolled through her phone.

If only Alya could understand the whole truth of the situation she was in. But that couldn't happen. Although Marinette had considered telling Alya about her secret identity. Sure, Alya would freak out for probably about a year, but after that, she'd be a great sounding board – having been a frequent Miraculous holder herself.

Marinette stared out of the window, deep in thought as always, watching as the buildings rushed by. They had dropped off the other passenger and were finally heading towards the pub. Traffic was finally moving.

After a long pause, Alya dryly added. "I just don't want to see you go through another you-know-who situation." She remarked, still not looking up from her phone.

That odd statement got Marinette's attention. "Who?"

Alya rolled her eyes in disbelief that Marinette didn't know who she was referring too. She dropped her gaze and peered at Marinette over the top of her glasses.

"Mr. You-know who. The big kahuna."

Marinette sucked in a shallow breath, trying to keep her face neutral. Little did Alya know that the big kahuna himself was actually back in her life. So much so that they had been texting nearly every day.

To hide her thoughts, Marinette physically waved Alya's comment away. "That's old news. You know I'm over it."

Alya smiled devilishly. "Over it, huh? Well. Guess you haven't seen his recent photo shoot, have you?"

Marinette tilted her head to the side in question. She actually hadn't. But, then again, she hadn't exactly gone searching for it. Or knew it even existed.

Alya tapped on her phone a few times, using her journalism superpowers to find the images that had leaked online. She found the hottest one and handed her phone over to Marinette.

"Prepare yourself…" she playfully warned.

Thinking it was probably nothing, Marinette only glanced at the photo. However, upon closer inspection, she felt her blood run cold. Or maybe it was now running hot? Was it suddenly hotter in here? Cause, holy frickin' fuckin' frick.

He looked like a vampire prince carved out of a BDSM fetish fantasy ready to bespell her into submission with his emerald gaze. Everything about the photo screamed sex and hunger. And he oh so deliciously portrayed the part. She barely noticed the naked woman who was also in the photo, because her toes were physically curling inside of her flat shoes.

God, she would have to see him face-to-face in just a few short minutes. And she definitely wouldn't be able to get this naughty image out of her head. Holy hell, it was probably imprinted on her very soul.

Alya's sassy laugh cut through the car. "Yup, totally over it." She teased.

Marinette slowly handed Alya back her phone. Her eyes didn't want to stop looking at the hypnotizing photo. It physically hurt and made her feel sad to have that extreme visual pleasure suddenly taken away. How could a photo do that to her? Or was it really just him? Would he forever be that captivating to her?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: Holy good god, mother of pearl, frickin' hot damn, call the firemen yes.

She wiggled in her seat, things lower in her body having tightened. "That really wasn't fair."

Alya chuckled. "Don't take it too personally. When those photos leaked, the entire internet about lost their shit."

Marinette dramatically reached for Alya's phone again. "You mean there's more?" Her voice was practically whining.

Alya pulled her phone away playfully out of reach. "Down girl. Control yourself."

Yes, control. Must maintain control. Ugh though. Just ugh.

* * *

When they finally pulled up, Marinette was already primed and ready to leap into action. She jumped out of the car at the speed of light, not even waiting for it to come to a complete stop and bolted for the front door.

She could hear Alya call after her as the other woman was still undoing her seatbelt and gathering up her purse.

Marinette rushed inside, instantly greeted by a large group of smiling, nervous faces. The room practically hummed with gathering excitement.

Nino looked the most nervous, and that was to be expected. But he was smartly dressed in his dark skinny jeans with a tucked in crimson button down and thin black tie.

Marinette noticed Adrien standing just behind him, and she felt her face flush. He must have come straight from the office, because he was dressed in a dark blue suit, although without a tie. Instead the white oxford was unbuttoned comfortably to expose his throat and collarbone.

She smiled radiantly and walked forward, giving Nino a quick hug and took her place in the crowd and just beside Adrien, who smiled affectionately down at her.

"All good?" he asked quietly.

"It's showtime." Marinette whispered back.

Collectively, the group held their breath for those few, agonizing seconds as Alya walked through the door. Marinette could hear a few happy sobs ripple amongst the crowd.

As she entered, Nino began walking forward to meet her. And she approached him with a look of confusion on her face. Especially when she noticed the crowd of familiar faces standing around.

Marinette felt herself audibly gasp when Nino reached for her hand, taking it into his, and then dropped to one knee.

Alya's purse and phone hit the floor with a loud thump as her other hand instantly covered her open mouth.

Nino was speaking to her now, but Marinette couldn't hear exactly what he was saying. Which was okay. This was their private moment. Whatever he said was meant to stay between the two of them.

Although, Alya began to cry when Nino reached into his pocket and presented the ring out to her. The single most important, heart-stopping, forever-and-always question having been asked and awaited her reply.

Marinette felt her own happy tears fall down her cheeks and softly blurred her vision. She smiled joyfully through her tears.

Beside her Adrien was having similar sentiments. He bit down on his own tongue to keep from completely sobbing out of control.

He was a professional model who made a living with the emotions he was able to portray with his face. And yet, crying with real, unfiltered reactions was his Achilles heel. When he cried, he lost all that trained control. But it felt good when he did. It made him feel more human. Less like a robot going through life to please others and never be himself.

Furthermore, he was watching something unfold in front of him that he so desperately wanted for himself. It was beautiful to witness, but also so very painful. Beyond the glitz, glamour, fame, and the rose tinted glasses, being Adrien Agreste was lonely. At times, even being Chat Noir was lonely.

It was as if the life forced upon him had prevented him from achieving his own happiness.

With that terrible thought, he turned his gaze away from the tender scene, so that no one would see the envy behind his falling bittersweet tears.

He caught Marinette's profile as she stood close by. Unlike him, she cried like a movie star. Poetic and lovely as she blinked her shimmering eyes. Yet another thing that she did effortlessly. It caught him by complete surprise, and he found himself staring at her with his breath catching in his throat.

The thoughts from moments ago drifting away as he watched her cry in joy. She seemed so perfectly content in her own little corner of the universe. Un-afflicted by jealousy or envy. He should take more cues from the way that she lived her life.

Oblivious to Adrien's gaze, Marinette held her hands against her own pounding heart as Alya's head nodded and her lips said yes to Nino.

Nino slipped the ring onto her finger, and they kissed for a long, precious moment. Only then did the roomful of euphoric onlookers swarm upon the both of them.

The rest of the night was a bit of a blur. Filled with hundreds of camera flashes capturing the glorious moments. Everyone laughed, exchanged congratulations, and talked excitedly about the experience. There may even have been a bit of dancing. It was, after all, a party.

The pub owner even donated a bottle of champagne to the evening. Of course, Alya and Nino drank for free all night and didn't let anyone hold them back with their celebrating.

Although, before she was too far gone, Alya did hear the story of Marinette and Adrien's secretive shopping experiences to find her ring. And, when it was finally told, with all its juicy details, she laughed so hard that she could barely breathe.

She grabbed Adrien and Marinette both by the arm, dragging them into a fierce hug, and called them a pair of lying, conniving, fuckers, but also that she loved them with all her heart for helping.

Nino was dragged in and together they commissioned a person nearby to take multiple group photos of just the four of them on each of their phones. Hers, thankfully, having survived the unexpected drop from earlier.

From there, Alya and Marinette paired off and started taking a bunch of silly pictures together, while Adrien headed for the bar and bought Nino another drink.

"You know you're my maid of honor, right girl?" Alya told Marinette, wagging her finger in her face. "You don't get to say no."

Marinette smiled brightly and immediately hugged her best friend, feeling completely honored. "Wouldn't dream of it."

After another shot of top shelf whiskey, Nino's heavy arm draped around Adrien's shoulder, and the tipsy man began repeatedly thanking Adrien for all that he had done.

"It's soo good hangin' with you again." Nino told him sincerely, even though he was slurring his words a bit. "You better stick around this time, you got it?"

Adrien laughed. "Yeah, I got it."

Nino thunked him hard on the back with a closed fist. "Good, cause this shit ain't over." He gestured between the two of them. "You and me, we're like family now."

Adrien wondered how much of that little speech was the alcohol talking. Either way, he was touched.

Despite the small pub, it was still a Friday night and the place was packed even beyond the large group here for the engagement party. Adrien's celebrity image drew quite the crowd around him, and he got caught up in multiple lengthy conversations with other members of Alya's and Nino's family, friends and a whole lot of pushy strangers. A few of Alya's work friends even approached him asking for photos and autographs on bar napkins. He brushed them off coldly, playing up the uncaring playboy attitude with a bit of a naughty flirty – which, of course, only made them fawn over him more. Girlish squeals could be heard across the room.

Watching the multiple scenes unfold, Alya (having already had two glasses of wine and was feeling particularly astute to her surroundings) casually slid up onto the barstool next to him. Uncaring of the dark looks she earned from the other women that wished to sit there beside him.

She rolled her eyes dramatically, sipping her wine every time the ditsy phrase was uttered: "Oh my gawd, you're like, so hot."

She listened to they way he spoke to them. Having never seen this playboy side to him before. He was curt and brief when he replied, and played his celebrity image like it was a character.

Unable to take the high-pitched squealing anymore, she elbowed him playfully in the ribs, drawing his attention over to her, as the current group of women moved away.

"You really have become quite the lady killer, huh?" she jested him darkly.

Adrien gave her a look, not realizing that she was half-teasing.

"Part of the job." He answered. It was such a typical Adrien Agreste response to that type of question. It rolled off his tongue as smoothly as the white wine he drank.

But Alya saw right through it.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure it is." Alya baited him, taking a long sip of her own glass of red wine before continuing. "I'm sure there are a lot of perks that come with being you."

Adrien shrugged because he wasn't quite sure what she was implying. Alya put a friendly hand on his arm.

"I get it. It's your image. Your brand. You gotta do you." She adjusted her glasses and tucked her short-cropped dark waves behind her ear. "But, try to come back down to Earth sometimes, okay? Live life like the rest of us."

"I am not..." He started to defend himself, green eyes narrowing.

She gave his arm a playful smack for interrupting her.

"You might be happier, that's all I'm saying." And with that profound statement, finished off the last mouthful of her wine with a single gulp.

Adrien forced a smile onto his lips and slowly nodded his head. Her words cut deep. But he needed to hear them.

It took a strong person to see through his bullshit. He had never imagined that Alya would be the one to read him so quickly and easily like this. If they had been anywhere else, he might have pushed her to elaborate, and as her to help him fix whatever and whoever this person was that he had become. But this night wasn't about him. And it certainly wasn't about his need for an attitude check.

Remembering that, he came back into a good headspace once again.

Noticing her wine glass was empty, he flagged down the bartender and ordered her another glass. Alya barely had time to blink and she was suddenly holding a fresh drink.

He held his own glass up. "To the perks." He toasted, his voice lively and full of playful teasing.

She clinked her newly refilled glass against his, noticing his instant change in attitude.

"Welcome back."

Just after that, her sisters came over and dragged her away, leaving Adrien sitting alone at the bar for the first time all night. He took the moment to just sit back and watch. Sure, he could still hear the feminine giggles even over the roaring background noise of the bar, but he didn't feel the need to pander to them anymore.

Adrien caught a glimpse of Marinette across the room. He suddenly realized that he had barely spoken to her all night. They both had been caught up with their separate conversations. However, like him, she was sitting alone now at one of the high top tables, with an undrunk glass of white wine forgotten on the table in front of her, as she stared out into space.

She looked deep in thought. But her mouth was slightly frowning with it.

In her own head, Marinette watched the party and was silently angry that Luka wasn't here to be a part of it. Realizing that she finally felt justified in her anger towards him. This was a huge night for Nino and Alya – who were two of the most important people in her life – he should have come to share it with her. Band practice be damned.

Satisfied with her thoughts on that particular topic, her mind was drifting to her store. Thinking about its future. Even if it might be a short future. The financial issues weighing on her like a she had swallowed a lead weight.

Even with the excitement humming all around her, she felt guilty for having fun. The $7 glass of wine in front of her was yet another subtle reminder that she had to stop all this and re-focus – if she hoped to succeed.

Adrien decided that he didn't like seeing her upset, and pushed away from the bar to go join her. She saw him coming, and smiled dully as he approached.

Setting his own glass down, he took up the empty seat beside her. For a moment, the two of them just watched the commotion going on around them. Despite their earlier exchange, Alya truly hadn't stopped smiling the whole night. She was currently taking selfies with her sisters and the ring. Laughter ringing out like bells.

Adrien turned back to Marinette, picked up his glass, and held it up towards her.

"Mission accomplished, partner." He toasted.

Her smile brightened as she picked up her own glass. They gently clinked them together and both took a shallow sip.

Another bit of silence passed and then Adrien finally asked, only because he had noticed.

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" she said distantly. "Me? Oh, yeah. I'm fine." She sat up a bit straighter and then spoke again. "Just tired, I guess."

"You work too hard." He told her, seeing the paleness to her skin even in the low light.

She barely smiled again. Just a dull lifting of her lips. "Yeah. I guess so." She concluded.

Despite the wonderful evening and the current handsome company, she couldn't bring herself to relax and have a good time. Her mind was too occupied. And she felt like no matter now hard she worked, it was never enough. Her pipedream was slowly fading. She would need to make some harsh decisions soon. And she just wasn't ready to make them.

Adrien sat beside her and said nothing. But he kept her company nonetheless.

* * *

Sadly the evening couldn't go on forever. As the hours passed by way too quickly, people started to say their goodbyes, congratulations, and then took their leave.

Of course, Adrien and Marinette stayed behind until the very last moment. Mostly because Alya and Nino had become quite the handful.

Marinette was yawning as she helped a very intoxicated Alya walk up the stairs. A short distance behind them, Adrien was doing the same thing, except with Nino. Between the two of them, they deposited the newly engaged happy couple into their tiny apartment, which was, thankfully, less than a block from the pub.

Once inside, Alya instantly lay on the floor and began making carpet angels. When Nino tried to mess up her artwork up with his foot, she grabbed him by the calf and yanked him down to join her. They giggled and rolled around on the floor together. Bumping into their furniture as they tried to make feeble grabs for Adrien's and Marinette's feet.

Marinette managed to nimbly and gracefully leap away from their outstretched hands, and went to fetch the both of the drunks some water. Leaving Adrien very much alone with their assault.

The room erupted in laughter and banter.

Adrien called out in a playful panic for her help as Alya and Nino each grabbed ahold of an ankle, and tried to wrestle him to the floor. Although trying to pull him down was like attempting to move an immovable object. His knees barely buckled and, from Marinette's point of view in the kitchen, it looked like he had two toddlers wrapped around his legs as he attempted to walk.

Realizing that they were fighting a losing battle, Alya and Nino gave up quickly and Adrien got away. They now chatted quietly together as they lay huddled on the floor. Suddenly in their own little happy world. Their level of drunkenness diminishing and calming down to simply wanting to pass out together.

While Adrien dialed for a car service to get home, Marinette made them both sit up and drink a full glass of water. It took some convincing, but they both begrudgingly, complied. Alya even managed to climb up into their futon and kicked off her shoes. Nino stayed on the floor, saying his was comfy.

Marinette put the used water glasses in the sink, moving around Adrien as she walked around the tiny space. Adrien noticed her stifling another deep yawn.

"Let me take you home." He offered gently.

Marinette waved her hand in front of her face, forcing a smile to hide her fatigue. "No, don't worry about it. I'll take the metro."

Adrien would not give in so easily. He may not be as stubborn as her, so he could be more tactful.

"It's not safe to take the metro so late." He reminded her.

She snorted at his comment, gathered up her purse, and moved towards the front door.

"I take the metro all the time. It's fine." She insisted confidently.

She was the Ladybug, after all. Someone would seriously regret messing with her. In fact, she'd probably feel bad for them if they did.

Seeing that she wasn't going to back down, Adrien physically stepped in front of her path, and blocked the door. Trying a different approach.

"I've got a private car downstairs." He offered, hoping to further persuade her. "With a driver."

"Mr. Fancy Pants over here." She teased him dryly.

He leaned down closer. Enough so that she got a full view of his chiseled collarbones through the open collared shirt. He smirked, matching her playful tone with his own.

"Come be fancy with me then."

She laughed and pushed past him with a firm hand on his chest. The fabric of his shirt feeling so soft against her palm. She resisted the urge to pet it and him.

"It's really okay I…"

"Girl, just let the man take you home. Geez." Alya called out sharply from the futon.

Not expecting Alya to still be conscious, Marinette was caught off guard and let out a little gasp and then a surprised laugh.

"Ha. Alright. Twist my arm, why don't you?" And she gave in.

They said their lengthy goodbyes to the half asleep couple, and the two of them headed back downstairs, and out into the cool night air.

Sure enough, a sleek black town car was waiting for them. The driver held the door as Marinette scooted inside. The interior was lit with a soft warm yellow light that illuminated from hidden lights in the fabric roof, and the leather seats smelled richly like men's cologne.

Oh no wait, that heavenly masculine smell was coming from him. Because he had slid in and was now sitting beside her on the bench seat, their legs practically touching. The driver shut the door gently, sealing them in the quiet car alone together.

"Very fancy." Marinette remarked, looking around the interior and noticing the piece of tinted glass that separated them from the driver, as well as a mini fridge stocked with tiny bottled liquors and wine.

"Only the best." Adrien replied.

The rode in comfortable silence. Traffic at this hour was light. And the City of Lights sparkled around them. Marinette spent most of the drive staring out of the window. Her mind spinning with nerves and uneasy thoughts. Although, for maybe the first time, they had nothing to do with the man sitting next to her.

In fact, when his voice broke through the silence, she jumped slightly, forgetting he was even there.

"Tonight was great." He gentle warm tone filled the quiet space.

"Yeah, it really was." She answered softly. "Although, I'll admit, I cried like a baby."

He chuckled. "Yeah, me too."

She stared at him. Barely able to make out his silhouette in the darkness. Only the crisp whiteness of his shirt helped give the illusion that he was there.

"Really? You cried too?" she asked.

He matched her gaze. "Is there something wrong with a man expressing himself?"

She backtracked instantly out of sheer humiliation. "No. No. Not at all. I guess… I'm just… surprised? Surprised to hear you admit it…?"

She sighed heavily, realizing that it sounded like she was insulting him. "I didn't mean it like that. Sorry. My brain is… distracted. I have a lot of shit… I mean, erm, stuff on my mind."

He smiled, not minding her use of language. "What kind of shit?"

She chuckled calmingly, letting her humiliation fade. "You don't need to worry about my shit. It's my shit."

"I'd like to hear about your shit. We can shit talk anytime." His smooth voice was filled with laughter and sincerity.

"Oh my god, this conversation sounds so horrible." She giggled.

"Yeah, it is pretty shit." He agreed.

She laughed out loud at his joke. Covering her mouth with her hand in order to hide her wide smile, but it leaked out around her fingers.

Pulling up to her shop, the driver edged the car along the curb, and Marinette felt her a bit of embarrassment begin to build back up within her. This was the first time he would see where she lived and her little business. She wondered if he would think it was pathetic.

"This it?" he asked, hitting the button to open the tinted window and get a better look.

"Yeah..." She muttered, gathering her purse and sliding towards the door.

He'd have to get out first so that she could get out. But he wasn't moving out of the way just yet. Only continuing to stare at her building with its delightful lit up window display. He loved what she had done to display the outfit.

Adrien turned back to glance at her and the honest, innocent words just fell out of his mouth.

"Can I see inside?"

She hesitated. Her teeth dragging across her bottom lip in nervous contemplation.

Adrien backtracked, realizing what he had just asked of her. "Sorry. It's late. I shouldn't have asked."

Marinette shook her head. Realizing that she shouldn't be afraid of what he thought. Him or anyone for that matter.

"No. No, it's okay. Come on in."

Adrien beamed and opened up his own door. He got out of the car, holding the door open as Marinette climbed out while digging around in her purse for her keys. The driver poked his head out of the window and Adrien casually waved him on. The fancy car rolled away without another word.

He paused again at the window display. Getting a full, up close view of her designs. If that was just a sneak peek, he wondered what the rest of it looked like inside.

Marinette opened her door and stepped in with Adrien close on her heels. She walked into the darkness and all but disappeared from sight until she hit the lights, and Adrien felt himself gasp.

She had made use of every available space. And yet everything had a purpose and came together in an eclectic visualization of nature meets romantic chic. It was both fresh and fun. From the soft color palate, to the homey touches that proved that she indeed lived there.

"Do you want some coffee?" she offered, as she casually dropped her purse on the concrete stairs, hitting the button to start the pot brewing. She needed the caffeine fix, hoping to get some work done tonight.

"Sure." His voice sounded distracted as his eyes tried to take everything in. Because there was just so much to see, even in such a tiny space.

His fingertips brushed along the racks of her hand made clothes. All neatly displayed on the freshly painted metal shelving that he recognized as an antique pot rack. Her creativity had turned junk into glorious treasure.

Ivory colored paper lanterns swung from fishing line hanging off of the wood beams that crisscrossed along the ceiling. Giving off the illusion that they were floating.

And then there were the clothes themselves. He could imagine Marinette wearing every piece of clothing she had created. They were tasteful, classic and feminine designs. Nothing too crazy, flashy or overdone. The tones, colors and textures of the fabrics being the shining stars. Any other added details were subtle and timeless.

And the large organic floral mural on the wall, with its twisting vines and popping flowers, brought it all together.

Beyond the store itself, he had to look hard to notice the carefully placed and well-hidden shelving and storage solutions that she had come up with. Her workspace was small but functional. And the use of curtains and not solid walls to section off the portion of the back room actually made the space feel more open and airy.

He was suddenly being handed a pale pink mug of fragrant coffee. And the aroma alone pulled him out of his trance.

"It's black. Sorry." She mumbled apologetically. She hadn't been expecting to entertain.

He took the cup graciously and continued to talk around the room. He'd choke down mud if she gave it to him. His manners would never allow otherwise.

"You did all this?" he asked, still finding things to look at and be amazed by.

"Yeah…" she spoke into her cup as she took a deep sip of her coffee before setting it on the counter to go fetch her work stool so he could have a place sit.

Adrien glanced down at the glossy wood floors. "These floors look original."

"Yeah, they were a bitch to polish." She called as she walked back into the room, carrying her stool in her hands, and set it down near him.

"You polished the floors yourself?" he asked, letting the surprise echo in his voice.

She nodded shyly, ducking her head. In order to hide it, she gestured for him to sit down. But he waved her away and contently leaned against the expansive countertop with his pink mug. Indicating that he was completely comfortable to keep standing.

Fetching her own mug, she took up the spot on her stool since he didn't want it.

"What else did you do?" he asked.

She looked around, trying to remember. "Uh, I mostly cleaned, painted, and patched some of the walls. Added the curtains and some other things. I had to have a contractor come in and fix the plumbing and the roof. But I did mostly everything else."

She wasn't looking at Adrien when she spoke, but when she finished she caught him staring at her. His green eyes impossibly wide with shock.

"What?" she asked.

"You seriously did _all_ this?"

She shrugged, taking another big sip of coffee. "Yes?"

"Marinette, do you see how impressive this is? Do you see what you've really done here?"

She smiled dully, tapping on her mug with her nails. "Yeah, I know. I still really can't believe it. It just… took me such a long time to finally get to this point. And I still notice so many things that I want to fix. But I just can't… at least, not right now…"

He took a shallow sip from his cup. "Why not?"

She turned her gaze away, chewing on the inside of her cheek. She did not answer him. In fact, it looked like she was struggling to speak altogether. Her eyes pinched tightly closed and her face twisted in sudden emotion. It was impossibly hard it was to admit that while this place was her biggest accomplishment, it was also her biggest stressor. It would take a bit of her soul away – should she have to let it go.

"Mari?" he called, taking a small cautious step forward, ready to console her. Wondering what was so strongly on her mind that it was written all over her face.

"Can I ask you something?" she spoke sadly.

He nodded. "Of course. You ask tell me anything."

She hesitated. Struggling to find the words. Scared to admit it out loud.

She sucked in a deep breath and stared into her coffee cup, swirling the dark liquid around. Watching as a few loose coffee grids clung to the edges of the cup.

"I feel like a failure." She said, her voice so quiet and filled with gathering pain.

Hearing those dejected words, Adrien set his mug down and walked over to be closer to her. Because she was sitting and he was standing, and now towering over her, he crouched down. Even in his fancy blue suit, he crouched down and leaned closer to her in offered sympathy.

"Why?" he asked.

Marinette watched him move. She vaguely felt his presence, but she honestly couldn't feel anything beyond the lump in her throat as she spoke her truths.

"I'm not getting much business." She told him, as her chin dropped to her chest. "It started off good, when I first opened, but now… Now I'm back to working more odd jobs because I'm worried that I won't make rent next month. And I don't know what to do."

She sucked in a shallow breath, biting on her tongue to keep from losing all control. "I-I'm scared. I'm scared that I've come this far… and it's all going to disappear… A-And, I don't want it to disappear, ya know? I want to succeed. I want to grow. But I… I don't know how…"

He let out a soft sigh, trying to reassure her, but not finding the right words.

Marinette shook her head back and forth slowly. She sniffed and collected herself. Realizing just who she was pouring her troubles on.

"Sorry. I wasn't expecting to talk about this tonight. And certainly not with you."

He tilted his head to the side at her words and smiled dully. "It's fine. Besides, I think what you've managed to accomplish here is admirable."

Marinette leaned back on her stool. "Admirable." She repeated, trying not to hate the sound of that word because she so tired of hearing it.

"Yeah, I guess so. I just… I guess I just knew what it took to get to this point. The building, the renovations, the set up… And now that I'm here, I'm feeling stuck and lost with what happens next."

She took another sip of her coffee. The warm liquid giving her a bit of mental clarity. Her wandering eyes found him again, as he was still crouched in front of her. His lovely blue suit getting wrinkled.

In a tiny voice, she let herself be bold. Mostly because he was probably the only person in the world who could help her.

"What would you do?" she asked him. "If you were me?"

Adrien shifted on the balls of his feet. "Are you asking me my opinion as your friend or as a businessman?"

"Both?" she wished hopefully.

He smirked at her request. Without another word, he stood up and moved away from her. He thought best when he was able to move around freely.

Marinette watched him pace. Not really pace, more like a thoughtful stroll. His long strides made it seem like he was moving faster than he was.

After a long moment, he paused and turned back to her. "What if you had an event? Something to drum up business?"

She tilted her head to the side in question. "What kind of an event?"

Adrien looked around the room at the various displays. Hats, purses, scarves and other accessories were scattered around with racks of shirts, skirts and dresses, with probably some other items mixed in.

"Something that would get the word out. Draw a crowd." He offered.

Marinette looked around the room, trying to get ideas like he was. But she was coming up empty. Her gaze went back to him.

"I wouldn't know the first thing about doing that. Besides, who would come?"

"Anyone could come. Even people off the street. The point is, it doesn't matter who comes, just that it gets people's attention." He offered while still trying to put the pieces together himself.

The solution hit her so hard and unexpectedly that she nearly fell off her stool.

"A show." She breathed out quietly. "A fashion show." Letting the words hang in the air. Awaiting his approval.

Adrien felt himself smile. "Perfect idea."

Jolted with immediate inspiration, Marinette jumped from her stool and it toppled to the ground behind her.

"Yes! Oh my god. Yes! That's exactly it."

Adrien suddenly got just as excited as she did. "You've got everything you need. The space… the clothes…"

"The runway could be here." She pantomimed enthusiastically as she moved along the length of the floor, spreading her arms out wide to showcase her thoughts.

"Seating here." Adrien strolled over and stood in the exact spot just to the left of the front door.

"Yes… yes… that would work. Standing overflow by the window…" she continued, her mind filling up with ideas.

She spun in a little circle, looking around as if seeing the space for the first time.

"They'd have to come from upstairs. But that would add to the drama." She exclaimed. "Oh my god, this could totally work."

"Nino could DJ it for you." Adrien offered, speaking his ideas as quickly as they came to him.

"Yes!" she cried out. Her excitement radiating off of her like beams of light. "Oh my god. This is amazing."

She spun in another circle, her mind going about a million miles an hour.

"Oh my god. It's going to be so much work. What would I make?" She seemed to be talking to herself now as she took a few more steps in no particular direction.

Mumbling to herself, "Pen… pen, I need a pen. Phone, yes, phone."

She fumbled setting her mug on the counter, and then ran over to the stairs to retrieve her phone. Her fingers began flying over the screen, typing up notes and ideas as quickly as they could think of them.

"Seating, how will I get seating?" she asked out loud. Polling her audience.

"You can rent chairs, easy. It's not expensive." Adrien offered.

She typed that into her phone and threw out another thought. "Food?"

"Light hor d'oeuvres only. People won't want to eat. They'll want to watch the show and socialize." He told her, speaking from experience.

She wrote that down too. Talking down into the screen, she cried out, "God I'm so glad you're here. I would never have thought of all this."

Adrien beamed at her words. It warmed his heart in ways he couldn't explain. He really was just happy to help.

She kept talking in a hurried and excited manner. Throwing out more potential issues.

"Drinks though... Definitely will need those."

Adrien walked closer and stood just behind her. Looking over her shoulder at the list she was creating.

"Do infused water. Cucumber. Lemon. Lime. Fruit. It'll be cheap. But, champagne definitely. To toast to your inevitable success."

Marinette typed up everything he told her just as quickly as he said it. Loving the idea about the champagne. And also loving that he said it.

"Yes. Oh my god. You're a genius. A big beautiful genius." She exclaimed happily, not even realizing what she was saying due to the utter excitement of the moment as her fingers flew over her phone screen.

Adrien chuckled to himself. Finding her reaction endearing.

He had another idea. "Alya could help promote it."

Marinette's head snapped up to stare at him. Her eyes were impossibly big and shining.

"Yes, oh my god. That's perfect. She would totally do it too."

Her fingers paused in their typing as she began to suck on her bottom lip. A sudden dead end filled her head.

"I'll need models though... Models that I can't pay."

Adrien waved her issue away. "Use your friends. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you out."

Marinette tapped on the side of her phone, trying to think who she'd ask. Alya would do it. Probably Rose and Juleca. But she would need more than that. Plus, she definitely wanted models of different ages and genders. She knew her designs were diverse enough.

The obvious answer slapped Adrien across the face. "Hell, I'll do it."

Marinette's eyes widened as she turned to look up at him. "Adrien, no. I can't ask you to do that."

He huffed, crossing his arms over his wide chest. "And why not?"

She hesitated but then finally said, "Because, you're like a professional. If this falls apart, you'd get a bad rap or something…"

Even as she said it, she knew just how ridiculous the words sounded as they left her lips.

"Oh pfft! Like that even matters." He jested.

He didn't care what happened. His image be damned. He was doing this for her. He wanted to represent her label. Not because of the charity, but because he believed in her and her designs. If given the push, he knew she would succeed.

"Yeah, but still…" she continued to try and discourage him away. Worried about getting him involved anymore than he already was.

"I'm walking in your show, Mari." He insisted. To further emphasize his commitment, he added,

"I'll walk down naked, if I have to. You won't be able to stop me."

Her face dropped in absolute shock at his words, but then she quickly grinned.

"Now _that_ would really draw a crowd in." She teased him.

She stared down at her extensive list. Feeling the excitement bubbling up inside of her. Her brain was reeling with ideas. She could already picture what the night would look like. Her mind's eye flashing colorful visions that she wanted to sit down and sketch out.

If she could pull this off, then she had to believe that this could be the thing to save her business.

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh yeah. So excited to write these next few chapters. The amateur fashion show idea got stuck in my head when I first started drafting this story. Plus, it will begin the lead into the Adrien/Luka rivalry plot *evil laugh*.**

**I hope everyone is doing great. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy that you all like my stories. I promise that I am trying to take the time to keep up with them. Although, I am finally working again, thank gawd (after being unemployed for over three months! ugh!). Oh, and I don't like not posting at least 8k worth of words per chapter. I dunno, I must be crazy. Like I'm not doing my due diligence as a story teller or something?**

**Anywho, love you all. Thanks for the lovely comments.**


	8. Chapter 8

\- Chapter 8 -

Without a care of who might be looking in through the front window, Marinette danced around her shop to the jamming guitar solo of the one and only legendary Jagged Stone.

Shimmying next to her was an equally enthusiastic Leo. Although, he was – by far – the superior dancer. Especially when he leaped into the air, did a half spin and landed in a full-on split in the middle of their makeshift dance floor. Posing as he stuck the landing like a triumphant cheerleader.

Marinette did an effortless cartwheel and landed on one knee. Dramatically smashing her air-guitar to the floor as the song came to a climactic ending with a flurry of cymbals and an impressively held high note. To which, Leo matched pretty well.

Before the impromptu dance party had broken out, they had been diligently working and sewing. But after listening to Jagged's new single on continuous repeat, they couldn't help themselves and got caught up in the song.

While Leo was more of a pop princess when it came to his music preferences, he couldn't deny tapping into his rock-n-roll side when he hung out with Marinette. At first, he hadn't believed Marinette when she told him that she had designed Jagged's album cover art and a few outfit accessories back in high school. Although when she showed him the numerous pictures and personalized autographs, he was suddenly eating his own words.

"Babe, you need to frame these! Seriously, make a shadow box or a collage or something. They deserve to be flaunted. " He exclaimed, as he flipped through the photos that she had printed up and simply stored in a shoebox, along with her other high school memories.

While it wasn't a terrible idea, Marinette was not the type of person to boast about her previous successes. Or her bumping of elbows with globally recognized celebrities. She was hoping to gain enough business without drawing upon her past.

This fashion show being her next large undertaking. It both excited and terrified her all at the same time.

A few weeks ago, when she finally told Leo about her plans to host a fashion show, he had practically leapt into her arms with excitement. In fact, he squealed so loudly in the café that Marinette was certain that she heard a glass shatter at the octave.

Together, and with their fashion powers combined, they came to the decision to host a double event. Because when Leo subtly suggested it, Marinette loved the idea almost instantly. Leo with his designs, and Marinette with hers.

Of course, Candi and her drag sisters would open the show with a flourishing cloud of glitter and sequins. Doing what Candi did best, she'd work the crowd up and keep the energy high so that when Marinette's designs floated down the runway, saving the best for last, they would be met with nothing but gasps and awe.

Leo had already started picking out songs. And, from what Alya told Marinette, he was practically bombarding Nino with hourly text messages asking how he was going to mix them together and wanting to hear clips. Luckily, Nino was just as eager about the event because he was actually getting to showcase his own tracks and mixes. Although he could never match Leo's radiating enthusiasm as an entertainer.

Marinette had pretty much given the two of them control over the music. She had her hands full with bringing her new designs to life. Whilst Leo had some elements of his outfits already done up because he used them in his nightclub shows, she was having to start from scratch. Luckily, she had a growing list of friends to act as her models. The most prestigious, of course, being Adrien.

Needless to say, Leo was over at her shop as often as he could be, and the two of them were sewing their little hearts out and talking excitedly about their plans for the show.

Leo kept begging Marinette to dress Adrien in a something resembling a long, silken trench coat with swirling golden filigree patterning, which matched a leave-nothing-to-the-imagination, skintight trouser. And, most importantly, absolutely no shirt. Just jaw dropping, chiseled abs for days beneath the billowing coat. Carefully accentuated with body oil that Leo would happily apply himself.

And while Leo's pool of drool inducing idea was indeed tempting, Marinette kept struggling with her decision on exactly what Adrien would wear in her show. The man could wear everything and anything. And he probably had already done so in his modeling career. Which made her choice more of a challenge than she originally thought it would be.

So she let her subconscious think on it while she worked on Rose's and Juleka's outfits. Her artistic brain already settled on what they would be wearing, and she had sketches pinned up on the far wall. For Rose, definitely something cute, doll-like, and with a 70s flower child vibe. For Juleka, a romantic twist on her current gothic style but with a few uncharacteristic details.

A casual knock came from the front door just as Marinette and Leo were picking themselves up off the floor after finishing their dance party.

Alya closed up her dripping umbrella and left it outside the door as she stomped inside.

Leo rushed over to her instantly, saying hi, asking if Nino had finished his music yet, but also demanding to see her ring. To which, he squealed with utter delight when she held up her hand and fanned out her fingers to display it.

"I love!" he exclaimed, taking her outstretched hand in his and pulling it closer into his face to get a better look.

Leo turned back to Marinette, who was lowering the volume of the music so they could talk to one another and not be shouting.

"You and Mr. Sexy Pants did good, babe."

Alya added on to Leo's compliment. "Nino is a man of many, many things, but even I get that he would have never been able to handle this. I actually totally love the fact that you and Adrien helped pick it out."

Marinette smiled happily and her voice was lighthearted and sarcastic. "It wasn't easy, let me tell you."

Leo let go of Alya's hand, giving her a playful sideways look. "Did you hear about that whole ordeal? The poor thing. I honestly don't know how she put up with it. I served the man a latte and was gaging."

Alya nodded and smirked. "Marinette has had years of unfortunate practice in coping."

Marinette chuckled dryly at the two of them talking about her like she wasn't even there.

Leo shifted his weight and put a hand on his hip. "Riiiight, the telltale first crush. A teenage love story that was years in the making. And now, the dramatic return of the long lost love. The one that got away."

He finished his flowery words by fanning himself. "It's such a Hallmark movie moment."

"Oh stop." Marinette scolded him.

He huffed dramatically and walked past her and back towards the mannequin he had been fitting with a sequin-studded corset. All the while softly humming the wedding march song as he picked up his glue gun.

Marinette felt her eyes narrow in annoyance at Leo's teasing but she was also grinning because he wasn't wrong.

Alya started stripping off her rain boots and sighed heavily because it had been a long day and she was tired. But she had promised to be one of Marinette's models.

The two girls headed over to the back of the store and Marinette dug around in her workstation until she retrieved a measuring tape. To which, she began taking Alya's measurements and inputting them into her phone to remember later.

"Any word from Luka?" Alya asked as she stretched out her arms so Marinette could measure her wingspan.

Marinette felt a sad little twinge of apprehension build up in her gut at the mention of his name.

Sensing her uneasiness, Alya spoke again. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."

Marinette shook her head slightly. "No, it's okay. I guess that things are okay? I mean, I saw him a few days ago…"

" _And_?" Alya pushed further. Unable to help herself. "What happened?"

"We got coffee and talked. Caught up a bit. They are in the middle of recording their album. And he's not to thrilled with how the producer is wanting to make all these changes…"

Alya dropped her arms with a dramatic huff. "Oh for crying out loud, Mari. What did he say when you told him about the show?"

"Oh." Marinette ducked her head slightly. "He thought it was a cool idea, I guess."

"A cool idea? That's it?" Alya insisted, her voice containing a bit of a growl of gathering annoyance.

Marinette shrugged. "I invited him to come."

"And is he?" Alya asked.

Marinette wrapped the tape measure around Alya's hips and typed the number into her phone before answering.

"He said he would try. He wasn't quite sure what the record company would have him doing."

Alya sighed and tried to quiet down her irritation. "Sometimes he annoys me." She muttered.

"Alya…" Marinette pleaded.

"Sorry. I know you're trying to make it work with him. But I just… sorry… maybe I shouldn't say anything."

Marinette sat down on her little stool. "No, please. Tell me."

Alya gave her an apprehensive look, but she kept talking. "It's just… you're clearly making an effort. And he's acting like he doesn't care."

Marinette stared at her feet. "He cares. Luka's just not the best at expressing his feelings."

"He literally writes and performs songs for a living." Alya countered.

Marinette shrugged hopelessly. "Yeah, but I can't expect him to forgive me overnight."

"Forgive you for what?!" Leo exclaimed as he charged headlong into their conversation.

Alya pointed at Leo and nodded in agreement. "What he said."

Marinette smiled dully. "For dumping him?" she suggested in a small voice.

"Babe, you can't be serious? That was like a billion years ago." Leo told her.

"Did he say that?" Alya questioned, looking ready to throw a punch.

"No…" Marinette answered simply, trying to calm the building storm. "But I just have this feeling…"

Alay interrupted. "Hold on, please don't tell me you're trying things again with him because you feel guilty? Girl, shit happens. People break up. Life goes on. Don't hold it against yourself."

Marinette stood up and walked a short distance away to put her measuring tape away. "I'm not. I promise, I'm not."

Leo bent over and whispered in Alya's ear. "She totally is."

"Definitely." Alya whispered back.

Marinette turned around. "I can hear you, ya know?"

Leo took a small step away from Alya and tried to look cute and innocent. "Sorry love. But you've got to admit that this doesn't sound right. Luka has, without a doubt, got that sultry, brooding, musician thing going for him. But, I'm not loving the whole 'She's gonna wait for me now' vibe. Just sayin'."

Marinette chewed on her bottom lip. "Look, I'm dealing with it, ok?"

Alya and Leo exchanged a look with one another.

"You shouldn't have to 'deal with it'." Alya told her, using air quotes to make her point.

Marinette let a long a heavy sigh escape her lips. Her arms crossed over her chest not out of anger, but because she suddenly felt the need to be hugged.

Everyone was quiet for a long moment. Alya had pulled out her phone to check her messages, and Leo started picking at the chipping nail polish on his fingernails.

The silence wasn't awkward, but it was daunting. Marinette had been telling herself to give Luka time and space. That he liked her and that was enough to wait for him, like he had waited for her. But after hearing what her closest friends had to say, maybe she was going about this all wrong?

Leo threw up his hands and walked the short distance back to his mannequin. In his usual sing-song voice, he called happily over his shoulder.

"I'm team Adrien anyway."

Alya busted out laughing. "Oh my god yes. Leo, if only you knew the half of it."

Marinette's eyes went wide at their sudden shift in conversation. "Leo! Alya!"

Leo waved a scrap of fabric in the air like a flag. "Oh I've been given the 411 on their tragic backstory. I'm fully committed to the cause now."

Alya wiped tears from her eyes from her uncontrollable laughter. "You should have been the two of them in high school. Totally oblivious. Like two ostriches with their heads in the sand."

"Stop! Don't even joke like that."

"Oh I believe you." Leo agreed with Alya, completely ignoring Marinette.

Alya kept talking. "And trust me, I did my best to make it happen for them. I deserve an award."

"Ooo, do tell!" Leo insisted.

Alya smirked playfully. "This one time, while on a fieldtrip, I switched seats with Adrien last minute because I knew she would fall asleep and lean on his shoulder."

"Did she?" Leo squealed.

"Oh, if I had my old phone, I could show you pictures." Alya chuckled. "Droll and everything."

"Alya! Knock it off!" Marinette begged frantically.

"And then, my crowning achievement." She gave Marinette a teasing sideways glance, holding Leo in suspense.

"Tell me!" Leo begged.

Alya's smirk brightened and told the famous story. "There was this school dance, and Nino and I carefully orchestrated this beautiful ballet of subtly that turned their innocent 'too shy to touch each other' dance into a proper hug-n-sway slow dance."

"No way!" Leo beamed.

"Oh it was glorious." Alya remembered fondly.

Marinette stepped between them, waving her hands back and forth to try and halt their mischievous conversation because it was making her face flush with embarrassment.

Leo's voice went all dreamy when he spoke. "Lord, I know you've got yourself a fine man Alya, but even you have to admit, that blonde is nothing but pure, sexy, totally bad for you kind of carbs. And I'd still spread him on a piece of toast, if that meant getting a bite."

Alya roared with uncontrollable laughter. Especially when Marinette began chasing Leo around with a roll of stiff ribbon, using it like a whip.

They all talked and laughed casually now as they went back to work once Marinette got a few good hits in. Although she couldn't deny the fact that Adrien could probably make even plain toast erotically appealing.

Leo busied himself with his outfit, turning on some bubbly pop music that got him singing while he worked. Alya took the opportunity to start asking a lot of unanswered questions about the show, while also trying to maintain a positive tone. She knew this show was going to make it or break it for Marinette's business.

And while she was thrilled with the idea, and super stoked to be a part of it, she couldn't help but be worried for her best friend. Especially upon seeing the multiple bolts of fabric and mounds embellishments that Marinette had purchased in order to create the outfits.

The two friends were discussing potential designs when Alya felt the urge to touch Marinette's arm, and pull her focus away from her sketches and up into the seriousness of Alya's face.

"I know that I sound like a broken record. But, you know I have to say it…" Her voice was low so that their conversation stayed between the two of them. Not that Leo could hear them over his singing.

Marinette ducked her head shyly. "I know."

"And you're sure about this?" Alya asked.

Marinette dropped her pencil and slumped down to put her face into her hands. "I have to do this Alya. I-I need to do this."

"I've heard that before too." Alya reminded her.

Marinette sighed. "I know. I know. I know. But, it's different this time. This show… It could be the one thing that turns this all around."

Before Alya could say anything more, Marinette added. "And if I'm going to go out, then I'm going to go out with a bang. And with no regrets."

Alya smiled gently. She had always believed that Marinette would do great things. She had that drive and sense of adventure. Risky? Sure. But what was life without a few risks?

If only Marinette would follow her own advice when it came to matters of the heart. Then again, this whole fashion show idea had only come about because of Adrien, and his unexpected return into her life. And Alya couldn't deny that the man still had a special impact on Marinette. She wondered if Marinette recognized it too.

Besides, nothing about his idea seemed to be out of malice or spite. He truly did not want to see her fail either. So, for that reason and many others, Alya decided that this show was a fantastic idea.

Glancing down at the numerous sketches Marinette had done, Alya suddenly knew exactly what Marinette should design for her.

"Girl, you should make my wedding dress."

Marinette's head lifted up and her eyes went wide. "A-Alya that's… Are you serious?"

Alya felt her eyes narrow in determination. "One thousand percent serious. No one else would do it better than you. And it would mean more if you were the one to make it."

Marinette was honored. Truly and completely honored to do this for her. But there was a tiny traditional voice in the back of her mind that poured cautionary words from her lips.

"But, if you wear it in the show…? Won't he see it? You know, before the wedding?"

Alya waved her comment away. "Pfft, We're not so old fashioned to care about stuff like that." She then smirked mischievously. "It'll be like a little sneak preview. Making absolutely sure he's not having any second thoughts."

Marinette giggled. "I doubt that Nino would dare to have second thoughts."

Alya stood up straighter. "True. But I'm also kinda loving the idea of surprising this on him."

She glanced at Marinette, casually adding. "It doesn't need to be the final dress. But a good first draft, ya know?"

Marinette shook her head. "Oh hell no. If I'm doing this, then I'm doing it right from the beginning."

She grabbed up a blank sheet of paper and started to sketch out some concepts. Alya watched her work and added her input, while scrolling through pictures on her phone of dresses she'd already been casually looking at.

As they worked out the design, Leo got curious and joined them. Upon learning about their wedding dress idea, he became instantly ecstatic and quickly whipped out his numerous Pintrest boards of ideas he'd been saving for his own wedding. He and Alya began pouring over Pintrest boards of table centerpieces, cake toppers, and decorations – leaving Marinette alone with her sketchpad.

Not that she felt alone at all. In fact, her mind was spinning so fast, that her hand could barely keep up. Beautiful ideas were flowing from her creative brain, and she couldn't stop them. She could only make quick, rough notes to go back and elaborate on later.

Marinette had never intended for the fashion show to showcase such formal designs. But now that she agreed to make Alya's dress, her whole dynamic was shifting.

She paused mid thought. Feeling a tingling sensation across her skin as she suddenly knew exactly what Adrien would be wearing. An ensemble worthy of the gentlemen that he was.

Color flushed in her face, settling contently warm in her cheeks as she sketched it out.

* * *

Several weeks later, Adrien was sitting in the back of his private car on the way to his Father's house for dinner. He did not particularly enjoy these dinners, but they did not happen that often. So, when they did, he knew better than to blow them off.

While his Father was still very much the aloof and emotionless individual of his childhood, there were fleeting moments of clarity and praise. Especially when it came to discussing Adrien's successes with his company. Although, he was also just as quick to point out Adrien's flaws and mistakes.

Adrien had long learned to simply accept and go along with his Father's controlling nature. And while that sounded ridiculously cruel, it had also taught him how to uniquely live his life by bending and manipulating those rules just enough to keep his allowed freedoms, but also maintain that all-important image of the Gabriel brand. Because, like it or not, he couldn't escape from it.

Most of the time, it was better to just comply and keep the peace. Knowing that once he left or got called away, Adrien would manage things in his own way.

Which was one of the many reasons Adrien wanted to return to Paris. He was worried that his Father's attributes were starting to rub off on him. Honing these manipulative skillsets was not the type of man he wished to become.

And that was why being Chat Noir was such an important part of himself. Chat Noir was the person he strived to be. Loyal, helpful, caring, and, maybe, just a little bit playful. Call it an escape, if you will. But it was weird to find freedom while hiding behind a mask.

And yet, Adrien wore his own mask every day. This branded image. So, in his heart, Chat Noir wasn't a mask. It was him. His true self.

And as much as he tried to deny it, his heart still skipped multiple beats when Ladybug unknowingly admitted something personal about her civilian self. Because, unlike him, she seemed to be the exact same lovely person both in and out of her mask. And God did he still want to know that person.

Closing his eyes in the stillness of the car, he vividly remembered their conversation only a few weeks ago.

He had been assisted her and the Paris Fire Department with a pretty large building fire. And, while she had already pulled all of the people out of the collapsing building, he had riskily rushed back into the intense flames to rescue the family's beloved cat. Safely depositing the fellow feline into the sobbing young daughter's awaiting arms.

The two superheroes left the scene feeling a bit tenderhearted. And that led to some casual chit-chat atop the Eiffel Tower before calling it a night.

"You're sighing a lot, M'lady." Chat Noir told her as he sat comfortably beside her with both of their legs dangling over one of the thick metal trusses.

"Am I?" she asked, sitting up straighter. "Sorry. I guess I have a lot on my mind."

"Care to share?" he offered.

She sighed deeply, consciously recognized the fact that she had done it again, and laughed at herself.

"My business isn't doing well." She admitted to him. And while she had a plan in the works to hopefully fix her situation. Things still felt scary and weighed on her mind.

Chat's ears instantly perked up when she told him what was bothering her. He drew in a quick, sharp breath, trying to keep his heart from pounding so strongly.

"I didn't know you owned a business."

Realizing her mistake, she felt her shoulders droop. "Yeah... I probably shouldn't have told you that."

He stared at her profile. Happy to have another piece to the Ladybug puzzle. Although it still told him nothing about her.

"You can tell me anything. You know that, right? I'm always here for you."

She smiled dully, but didn't look up at him. In fact, she seemed to be even more distracted with her own thoughts now.

He wanted to push her for more. The questions were practically burning on his tongue. But it wasn't right to pry. Not when he watched as her face twisted with deep contemplation and flashes raw emotion.

Was it so wrong to want to scoop her up into a hug and quiet those thoughts swirling in her head? Because he had to physically restrain himself from touching her. Instead, he offered her his silence and his physical presence of sitting beside her, while letting his promise hang in the heavy air.

After a long pause, she finally spoke again. But her voice was the faintest of sad whispers.

"Thanks kitty."

Adrien felt himself sigh as the memory abruptly dissipated away because his car door opened and jostled his elbow that was leaning heavily against the armrest. She may forever be a mystery to him. But that was okay.

Okay, it wasn't okay. But it had to be okay. Okay?

Exiting the car, Adrien took a steadying breath as he walked into the foyer of his Father's mansion. Memories of his youth washed over him as he felt the metaphorical chill in the air. The place still felt cold and hopelessly unwelcoming. Always way too clean. And decorated with way too much grey.

He smoothed down his crisp ivory colored oxford, knowing that his Father liked seeing him in muted colors. But he had rolled up the sleeves to his elbows, showing off the beige toned but fun paisley pattern on the cuffs. The brown dress pants were specifically tailored so that he could wear loafers and not appear to be too casual.

Dinners with his father were seldom pleasant, so he at least wanted his feet to be comfortable. Never mind the fact that he had been buzzed through three different security checkpoints: one at the front gate, then the second gate, and finally at the front door, and still no one was here to greet him as he walked in. Further adding to that cold and empty illusion even with such a large house.

Resisting the urge to stuff his hands into his pockets and sulk, he calmly strolled towards the dining room. About half way there, he began to hear the high-pitched chatter of voices. Multiple voices, in fact. Very distinctly female.

He rounded the corner and came face-to-face with Chloe Bourgeois and both of her parents. Her portly father wasn't a surprise to see. But her mother lived in New York for most of the year, so her presence was a bit unexpected.

Chloe peered in his direction, saw him and excitedly rushed over to fiercely hug him. Her designer high heels tapping along the marble floor as they granted her another lofty four inches of height.

"Adri-kins." She cooed happily. Her nickname for him having stuck since they were kids.

Adrien did not hug her back. Instead he politely acknowledged everyone else standing in the hallway.

"Chloe, Mr. Bourgeois, Mrs. Bourgeois, great to see you both. What brings you here?"

"Your father extended us the invitation for dinner." Mrs. Bourgeois told him. Although her tone was a bit flippant as she admired her manicure.

Chloe petted his arm, drawing his attention back down to her. "You look surprised, darling. Did you forget?"

Forget? How could he forget something if he never knew it was happening? This all felt like a set up.

To save face, he calmly replied. "Must have misread my calendar."

At that point, Natalie walked in and ushered them all into the dining room.

Dinner was awkward, to say the least. Chloe and her parents sat on one side of the gigantic table, while Gabriel sat at the head of the table, and Adrien sat all alone on the other side. Conversation drifted safely to topics of fashion and the upcoming seasonal lines.

For the later part of the meal, Adrien assumed that the Bourgeois' had been invited simply as guests, and he started to relax.

But leave it to his Father to have other motives.

"I see that you and Miss Bourgeois have become quite well acquainted recently?" Gabriel addressed him.

Adrien wasn't sure quite sure what was be asked with the phrasing of that question. So he simply nodded.

Chloe spoke up through a fluttering of her glued on eyelashes. "I was quite excited when Adrien asked to reconnect with me upon returning to Paris. We had such a wonderful time together. Didn't we?"

Adrien nodded again because what she said was true. Even though it had been weeks ago, and he pretty much had forgotten about it. He took another few bites of his food. And the group conversation ground to an unexpected halt.

Gabriel waved his hand, as if annoyed with his son for having to keep the conversation going himself.

In a scolding tone, Gabriel said. "Adrien, I invited the Bourgeois' here tonight, so you could ask them properly."

Adrien barely chewed his bite and swallowed it down hard. It slid down his throat like a lump. He slowly turned his head to glance at Chloe, who was smiling from ear to ear. She caught his gaze and nodded her head enthusiastically. Urging him along with her excited eyes.

Clearly, he was the only one in the room who didn't know what in the hell was going on. And now his Father was putting words into his mouth.

Trying not to act a fool, because he could feel his Father's steely glare on the back of his neck, he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois, who were both staring at him blankly. Mr. Bourgeois was smiling. Mrs. Bourgeois was not.

Adrien retrieved the napkin from his lap and touched the cloth to the side of his lips, buying himself another few seconds to try and put the pieces together. The room was deathly quiet. And it was unnerving.

However his poor brain could not draw the obvious conclusion. This felt like a test that he hadn't studied for.

Watching his adult son flounder in his silence, Gabriel finally cut through the tension.

His voice was firm and direct. "To date their daughter."

It took every bit of self-control he possessed to not drop his jaw to the floor in shock and keep his face neutral. His green eyes flashed as anger built up behind them.

He pushed it down and locked it away with the rest of his emotions.

He couldn't be mad at Chloe. She seemed to be playing as much of a part in this, as he was. Although, she was the only one who was enjoying it. Especially when she blew a kiss at him from across the wide table.

Strategically, he turned the statement back on his Father. Choosing to remind him of the fact that it was all his idea for Adrien to maintain this playboy image he'd been portraying for so many years.

"I thought that I wasn't to be dating?" He enquired. Feeling kinda like he was about to be sold to the highest bidder.

Gabriel lifted his water glass, took a shallow sip and set it back down.

He cleared his throat. "And that image has worked well in maintaining your youth and marketability in the industry. But it's time that we focus on a more _grown up_ approach."

Adrien set his silverware down, careful not to let them make any unnecessary noise in his frustration. His appetite was gone. And the food he had eaten was now churning in his stomach, making him feel nauseous.

He could shout at his Father for doing this. For setting him up, and controlling yet another thing about his life. One that he always thought he would get a final say in: his own heart.

He had never wanted to become this fake person. The playboy attitude never felt right with him. Years ago, he would have loved the opportunity to appear more candid and grown up. To date with the possibilities of having a real, true girlfriend. And do what all couples strived to do: finding that person with whom you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.

If the reins were truly being freed, then why not let him do that part of it on his own? Or did his Father, like most things, not trust him to find a suitable candidate? Someone to carry on the precious and tarnishable Agreste name.

Adrien started to slouch down in his chair and ruin his perfect posture, but he quickly caught himself.

He pushed a fake smile to his lips, and turned back to the Bourgeois family who seemed poised on the edge of their seats, waiting for a reply.

He ignored their anxious gazes and directed his attention to Chloe.

"Please excuse me for a moment. Chloe, may I have a word?" He pushed himself up and out of his chair.

Chloe did the same and followed him out of the dining room in silence. Standing in the hall alone together, he finally let out heavy sigh that had been weighing on him.

"I thought you'd be happy?" Chloe spoke up, her voice sounding a bit sad.

He looked at her, feeling a spike of guilt for upsetting her. "I'm just surprised." He admitted truthfully.

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest. "Why?" she demanded. "I thought this was what you wanted?"

Adrien's eyes narrowed. "Chloe, I've literally just been given permission to change everything about my image, and the way I've lived my life up until now. You'll have to excuse me if I'm still trying to understand why."

She huffed and dropped one arm to dramatically gesture in the air. "Then why ask me out if you didn't want this to happen?"

He shrugged, not meaning to be insulting. "I guess I didn't see it as a date…?"

Chloe's sharp blue eyes glared at him. And then she did what she did best, jumped to conclusions.

"So this is my fault now?"

Adrien took a step towards her, trying to pour out an apology with his gentle tone. "No. No that's not what I meant."

She raised her chin and narrowed her piercing blue eyes. "Are you asking me to go back in there and tell my daddy and mommy – who flew in from New York to be here – that you're not interested in me? That this whole evening was a giant waste of their time?"

He took another step towards her, and she turned around sharply, giving him her back. Unable to see her face, he couldn't tell if her shoulders were shaking from tears or anger. Either way, he felt like an asshole.

"Chloe, please." He pleased. "Come on. You're one of the few people who could really understand what it is like to be me. To have to live in the spotlight 24/7. I need time to process this. That's all I'm asking for, just some time."

She glanced over her shoulder, but did not turn around completely. Her glossy lips turning upwards into a small smile.

"Fine." She told him. "I'll give you time. If that's what you want."

Adrien let his shoulders relax. Not sure how much time he needed. But he was glad to have it.

"Thanks Chloe."

Chloe turned back around and closed the distance between them. She kissed him so quickly that he barely felt the press of her lips against his. But he was suddenly licking away her leftover lip gloss.

She wove her arm through his, and immediately pulled him back towards the dining room.

Adrien went back in there and asked the Bourgeois' for their permission, simply because he felt like he had to. He and Chloe had a private understanding between them. So she at least knew where he was coming from, and she had promised to give him time. And their white lie would save the evening.

* * *

As he sat in the back of the towncar on the way back to his apartment, he was casually scrolling through his phone when the first alert popped up on one of his social media accounts. He ignored it, until another one popped up. Followed by a third. Then a fourth.

He closed the email he was reading and opened one of the many social apps.

The words stared back at him and made his eyes go wide.

Chloe Bourgeois is… in a relationship with… _Adrien Agreste_.

And he was tagged in every single notification. Blaringly public. It was everywhere. The internet knew, and thus the World knew.

What in the hell was this? Had she not listened to a single word he'd said?

With his gathering irritation, he dialed her number. She picked up on the third ring.

"Hi my Adri-kins." She cooed.

He didn't hesitate. "Chloe, why did you change all of your socials to say we are dating? I thought we agreed…?"

She cut him off with a quick, sharp but jovial tone. "We still have to maintain the image, you silly. Our parents need to believe it, so why not? Besides, it'll be good press for your upcoming Spring line. And I've already got an interview scheduled with Vogue…"

Adrien rubbed his temple and leaned forward on the leather seat. "Chloe, this… this isn't what I wanted."

He heard her huff in irritation. "Well, while you are 'taking your time' or whatever. I still have my own image to uphold. Besides, what's the big deal?"

Adrien leaned backwards, letting his head bang into the back of the seat sharply. He was seriously starting to hate that word 'image'. It was ruling his life.

However, after rubbing his temple a bit harder, he decided that it didn't matter. Anyone close to him would know better than to believe what they read on the internet.

And she was half right. He did have an obligation to her now. If she hadn't updated social media, her parents would have questioned things, and that would have sparked another intense conversation. Perhaps it was for the best.

"Fine. Keep them up. But remember what we talked about, ok?"

"Uh-huh, sure. Whatever you say, darling." But her voice sounded distant and uncaring.

He wished her a goodnight and hung up as the car approached his building and he got out in a huff. While in the elevator, the air felt like it was suffocating him. He began to unbutton his shirt to try and breathe more clearly.

Adrien frustratingly slammed the door to his apartment closed with a bit too much force. The wall faintly shook at the impact. He felt a little guilty only because it was so late, and his downstairs neighbors probably heard that.

Plagg flew out of his pocket. "Cheer up kid. It's not the end of the world." And buzzed off towards the kitchen.

Plagg was right, it wasn't the end of the world. But it still… sucked. And he was okay with being upset about it, at least for right now.

Before he walked down the hall and further into his luxurious apartment, his eyes caught sight of a plastic garment bag hanging from the hat and umbrella stand by the front door. He eyed it curiously, wondering what it was for.

While it wasn't unusual to have things left hanging there by his assistant. His dry cleaning normally came in a clear plastic bag, this one was more for traveling. It looked used too.

There was a note folded over and taped to the outside of the bag. Flipping open the note, he felt his anger dissipate away almost instantly as he read the curvy cursive words.

_Adrien, Please try this on when you can, and let me know if anything needs adjusting. It's for the show. Thanks a bunch! – Marinette._

Suddenly excited he pulled the garment bag off of the stand and brought it out into the living room, draping it over the plush couch so he could fully unzip it.

What appeared from inside was not something he had expected at all. He let out a little huff of surprise.

It was the beginnings of a full tuxedo. Complete with jacket, pants and a spread collar crisp white tuxedo shirt.

Pulling it fully out of the bag, he ran his fingers along the satin buttons. His knowledgeable eyes scanned the peak lapel jacket with its nearly invisible seams.

"A penguin suit. Great." Plagg muttered from over his shoulder.

"Keep your stinky cheese far away." Adrien ordered. He would hate himself forever if something were to happen to all the work that she'd put into this.

He couldn't wait a second longer to try it on. He hastily kicked off his shoes and started to strip off his clothes, much to the wails and cries of his humiliated kwami.

He touched the pieces with absolute care as he slipped them on, afraid to accidentally rip anything. To his absolute amazement, everything fit perfectly. In fact, it fit better than some of his high-end clothes. He'd had custom tailored clothes before. But this… this was exceptional. How had she done this without taking any measurements?

He turned to look at himself in the nearby decorative mirror. Petting the subtle satin stripe that traveled up the side of the pants. Realizing he had a full size mirror upstairs, he grabbed his phone and bolted up the stairs.

Nothing pinched or bunched when he moved, not even when he climbed the stairs. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, he swayed back and forth, admiring the fit and elegance he felt in it.

It felt so good to be in something so formal and yet classically refined. No more _avant-guarde_ , apocalyptic designs that left him feeling rather violated. God, he really had modeled some absolute crap during his career. But this, this was a beautiful breath of tradition and timeless style.

Turning away from the mirror for a second, he went into his closet and quickly put on a pair of black dress shoes to complete the look.

Returning to the mirror he let out a puffy gasp of amazement. The hem of the pants was perfect too.

Retrieving his phone, he began to snap some mirror selfies, and instantly began sending them to Marinette. By the fourth picture, he abruptly realized that it was after midnight, and she was probably asleep. Or worse, he was waking her up by blowing up her phone.

Before his guilt to manifest any further, his phone began to ring and her name flashed across the screen.

Smiling to himself, he answered it almost instantly.

"Marinette!" he greeted.

"H-Hey. Sorry to bother you, but I got the pictures… and I…"

"It fits perfect. Better than perfect actually." He exclaimed, cutting her off. "Seriously. How did you do it? I've had suits made by Italian master tailors, and they still can't get it as good as you did."

She chuckled dryly and coughed to cover it up. "Just lucky I guess." She answered shyly.

Adrien pivoted in the mirror. "I can't find a single thing wrong with it."

"Oh well, it's kinda still got a few things missing. I don't have the split tartan quite right. And I think I want to add a subtle pattern to help bring out the green."

"Green?" Adrien questioned.

Marinette hesitated slightly. "Umm, yeah. It's green. Not black. Did you not notice?"

He bolted into the bathroom, turning on the harsh florescent lighting overhead. Sure enough, it was such a dark forest green color that he thought for sure that it had been black. But now that she had pointed it out, he couldn't un-see it. He liked it even more now. The color brought out the gold tones to his skin, accentuated by his mop of blonde hair.

"Holy crap, it is." He exclaimed. "Wow, that's so different."

"I like the shoes with it." She told him, unsure if that was a compliment or not. "Do you have any gold-looking cufflinks?"

He had quite a few sets of real gold cufflinks, so that was easy enough. "Yeah, I do."

"Perfect, yeah. If you could wear the shoes and the cufflinks to the show. I think that's all you'll need."

If all he needed to bring was his own shoes and some cufflinks, then that was pretty freaking amazing.

"Sure." He agreed, running his hand down the label. "Anything else? What else do you think would look good with it?"

"I think that's about it." She told him. "I'm just so glad that it fits."

"It does. It's really, really great work, Mari." Adrien complimented wholeheartedly.

He didn't want to take it off. In fact, he suddenly had the urge to go to a fancy Ball and waltz.

He admired himself in the bathroom mirror one last time before shutting off the light and heading back into the bedroom.

Marinette spoke up. "Would you mind terribly leaving it with your building's security, and I'll swing by and pick it up? Like I said, I still need to modify a few things."

"I'll have my assistant bring it to you at your shop tomorrow." Adrien offered.

"Oh, okay. Sure. That works too." She chuckled. Because of course he had an assistant to run frivolous errands for him.

Adrien touched the buttons of the shirt, still completely enamored with the design and the way it made him feel. But that was the way clothes should be.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he finally asked her. "Can I ask, why a tux? I thought for sure you'd put me in something more casual."

There was a long pause. He could hear fidgeting in the background, followed by a nervous chuckle.

"Mari?" he asked, being sure the call didn't get dropped.

"Yeah, I'm here." She confirmed. There was another short pause, her voice sounded panicky.

"It's just… well… I kind of have this crazy idea. And since you offered to model, I thought that I'd just kinda run with it…"

Adrien sat down on his bed, listening attentively. "What kind of idea?"

"You have to promise that you won't tell anyone." She told him, her voice suddenly very series. "Especially Nino."

Okay, that was unusual. Still, he promised. What's the worst she could say? That the tuxedo was going to tear away to reveal a sequin-studded speedo? Not that he wouldn't totally rock it.

Marinette sighed tensely. "I'm making Alya's wedding dress."

Adrien felt himself physically smile into the phone. "Are you serious?"

"Heh heh, yeah."

"Wow. Oh wow. That's amazing." Adrien told her. "So, what, am I like her groom, or something?"

He heard that nervous chuckle again. "Sort of. I wanted to showcase some formal designs. And when Alya agreed to be a model, we suddenly had this idea to do her wedding dress. And she was totally on board. I actually think I made her cry a little bit…"

"Is Alya going to be modeling her own wedding gown?" he asked.

"Yeah. She wants to surprise Nino. Little bit of a sneak peek, ya know? Since he will be DJing the show."

"He will definitely be surprised." Adrien remarked and then gently adding. "I'm totally honored, by the way. I had no idea what to expect. And now that I know… I feel… I feel like this… like this is really going to be something special."

Marinette sighed again, but this time it was happy sounding noise. Thank goodness he couldn't see her physically swooning. But his words were so soothing that she was about to melt. It loosened her lips and made her more honest.

"I hope so. I've been going a little nuts with the preparations. I have like this perfect vision, in my head, of how the night will go. It feels so real and yet, still only a dream. Like I can picture every little detail. And then I'm worried that I'm setting too high of an expectation…"

"Mari…" Adrien interjected matching her mellow tone and wanting to put her mind at ease.

But she jumped in again before he could say anything further. Speaking in rushed almost frantic sentences now.

"Sorry! Sorry, I don't mean to dump on you like that. It's like, wow, super late. I'm sure you have better things to do. Like probably sleep. So, yeah… Anyways… Thank you so much for trying the tuxedo on and giving me feedback."

"It's fine Marinette. Call me anytime. Seriously, I don't mind."

There was another short pause. "Thanks Adrien." She murmured softly, sounding more relaxed.

"Get some rest, okay?" he told her.

"Y-Yeah, you too. G-Goodnight."

"Night." And he hung up.

He sat there for another few moments, staring at his phone screen. His eyes wandered down to the tuxedo he was still wearing.

Marinette had serious talent. He was in the same business after all; he knew what true talent was. He wholly admired her modern twist on the classics. Her work was high quality and completely deserving of every spotlight. He sincerely hoped that this show would give her the attention she deserved.

And he would do his absolute best to ensure that it happened.

* * *

_**Author's Note: Hello Everyone! Thanks for reading. We're on Chapter 8 already, can you believe it? I can't wait to start the next chapter. I'm totally loving the vibe of this story. It has a completely different voice then my others. More silly personality. Or maybe that's just because of Leo? lol I love reading your comments, so please leave one and say Hi.** _


	9. Chapter 9

\- Chapter 9 -

Marinette held a stack of multicolored paper fliers firmly against her chest. The gusty wind was making her job of taping them down about ten times harder than it should be. She muttered a few passing curses as the wind threatened to rip and scatter the brochures all over Paris. Which maybe wasn't necessarily a bad thing? Although that might be considered littering.

She had her flyers pretty much hung up all over town anyway. From Mr. Cantin's butcher shop, to Alya's office, and Leo's drag show nightclubs, and even her old café – much to her surprise. Her last ditch effort to use any available space on telephone and utility poles within a six block radius of her shop.

The fliers had been Leo's idea. And they had heavy influences of his obvious glitter obsession. Which certainly made them eye catching. Although Marinette seemed to be wearing most of the glitter now.

Alya was strategically handling the social media and publicity for the show. And while news traveled impossibly fast with the aid of the internet, Leo had been insistent that people still read physical signs and posters. Plus, they made it more personable to the people who lived in the local area. Showcasing that a such nice shop like this existed in their neighborhood.

Marinette tore off a piece of duct tape with her teeth, bringing her knee up to her chest to keep the others from slipping as her grip shifted.

Her mind was going about a thousand miles an hour. Checking and re-checking items off of her mental to-do list. Saturday would be here before she knew it. And while her designs were done, it felt like there was still was so much left to do. Exciting things, but also nerve wracking.

Last night had been the official "dress rehearsal" – if you could even call it that. It had mostly been a final fitting for the models, and only about half had actually showed up. With the others promising to come later in the week.

It was a chaotic evening, but definitely fun. A lot was actually accomplished, but it was also super distracting to be around Leo plus his equally lively group of drag sisters hooting and hollering to one another as they squeezed themselves into corsets and adjusted the padding within their flesh toned body suits to give themselves that little bit of oomph in all the right places.

Rose and Juleka were the only two of Marinette's models to stop by. So they got to be a part of the excitement, learn their walking order, and practice coming down Marinette's uneven stairs to the beat of the music Nino had created. They unfortunately couldn't stay too hang out with the rest of the group, so they both gave Marinette a big hug before heading home.

Marinette was currently fussing with the multiple stiff pleats in Juleka's skirt – not liking how they laid when she had put it on earlier. Using a can of spray starch and the hot steam of her iron to get them lying perfectly symmetrical.

She had let Leo's friends play around earlier, and was currently rocking some cobalt blue eye shadow, black lipstick, and wearing a wig made entirely of glittery silver tinsel that was styled into a short, cropped bob. She could see the shimmering strands in her peripheral vision as she bent over the ironing board, while moving her hips along to the dance music being played from someone's phone.

The whole room seemed to be talking excitedly as the late afternoon turned into evening. A constant stream of loud, boisterous people kept coming in and out of the front door, carrying rolling totes full of accessories, outfits, and mannequin busts donning elaborate wigs. Marinette barely looked up when the door opened.

However, the room went from giggly and border-line dance party excitement to you-could-hear-a-pin-drop, ghost town quiet when Adrien abruptly walked through the front door dressed like he had come straight from the office, and carrying a paper grocery bag containing a few bottles of champagne.

Marinette had completely forgotten that he had told her he was going to be late. And now every pair of eyes was staring at him like they wanted to lick him from head to toe.

Dressed in nothing but a loose corset and a ruffle of stiff tulle petticoats, Leo instantly dropped what he was doing and practically skipped over to greet him.

"Oh why heelloooo my gorgeous ball of sunshine!" He perched up on one leg and kissed Adrien firmly on the cheek, leaving behind a noticeable pair of bright magenta pink lip prints. Not caring to wipe them away.

"I didn't know you were coming tonight." Leo beamed excitedly.

Adrien should have felt awkward by that greeting, but having previous met Leo before, he knew that this was just his personality. Besides, this wasn't the first, and certainly wouldn't be the last, kiss by an overly enthusiastic gay designer.

"Leo, right?"

Leo swooned. "Oh, my stars you remember me! I do tend to have that effect on people."

Before Adrien could answer, another person rushed forward. Coming to his rescue with a makeup remover cloth to clean away Leo's residual lipstick.

It took him a moment to recognize that it was Marinette wiping his face. The shimmering wig was completely distracting. But as he got a better look at her face, he was surprised now much the look suited her. It matched her dramatic blue eye makeup; making her eyes look huge and expressive. The dramatic black lipstick added to the natural paleness of her skin. She looked like a completely different person – like she was about to go be a backup dancer for Jagged Stone.

Leo backhanded her lightly on the arm. Number one: for removing his lip swatch on Adrien, and number two: for failing to tell him that he was even coming over.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he huffed.

Marinette ducked her head, but her lips twisted into a mischievous grin. Her bold makeup adding to the sass in her body language.

"Oh, by the way, Adrien's coming over." She teased her overly dramatic friend.

Leo rolled his eyes. Waving his hand dismissively in the air at her sarcasm. He crossed his arms in a huff and turned to glare up at Adrien.

"Do you see how she treats me? I suppose you wouldn't consider switching sides this late in the show?"

Adrien smirked at Leo's words, but shook his head slightly, letting his voice radiate a similar humor.

"Sorry, but she asked me first."

Leo scoffed. "I swear, is this even going to be fair? How come I don't get a world-renown super model as part of Team Leo?"

"Am I in trouble?" Adrien piped up, grinning from ear-to-ear at the conversation. Marinette shot him a dark look that clearly said to stay out of it. He obeyed, but her attitude made him smile more.

"Umm…" Marinette tormented. "… Sorry about your luck?"

"Uh! Mean!" Leo squealed.

Adrien laughed out loud, but caught himself because it was Leo's turn to give him a look. Although his was more pouty.

Leo sighed heavily. "Please tell me he's at least in something partially revealing on Saturday?"

"Leo!" Marinette hissed, feeling embarrassment creep up the back of her neck. His cheeky words stealing away her silly mood, replacing it with humiliation.

Leo threw his hands up into the air, admitting defeat. "Fine. Fine. Fine. You can keep the famous and sexy male model."

He turned around slowly, raising a sassy eyebrow as he spoke again. "T'is a shame though, you would have looked great in hot pink spandex, sunshine."

And with that he sauntered away from the pair.

"Good lord." Marinette mumbled to herself, shaking her head at Leo's antics. With friends like him, how could she ever hope to survive on Saturday?

"I like the hair." Adrien remarked playfully, drawing her attention back to him.

Marinette tilted her head to the side in slight confusion, but then suddenly realized what he was talking about. Her fingers went up and gently touched a strand of the outrageous wig.

"Ha! I forgot I had it on." She chuckled dryly, feeling a bit ridiculous because he was seeing her like this.

"Do I get a fancy wig too?" he asked humorously.

"You want one?" One of the other drag queens called from across the room.

Adrien looked up at the person who spoke. "Only if it looks like this one." He pointed to Marinette.

"Sorry sugar, that's the only one of those we've got."

"Aww. Too bad." Adrien answered.

"I've got a green lace front you can try on." Someone else called, as they held up a lime green long and wavy wig perched on a mannequin head.

"Ooo, green would go great with my tux." He teased, glancing down at Marinette for her approval.

Marinette shook her head and giggled. "Wrong shade of green, unfortunately."

Adrien laughed and shrugged slightly in defeat, turning back to the group. "You heard the boss. Thanks anyway though."

Marinette tapped on her chin. "Actually, that reminds me, I do need to make some small adjustments to your jacket. Can you try it on again for me real quick?"

Adrien nodded. "Sure. Where can I put these for now?" He raised the paper bag he was holding up slightly.

"Oh, what is it?" Marinette asked.

He tilted the bag down. "Figured you might need some extra champagne for Saturday."

Marinette leaned over and peered into the bag, seeing the tops of three bottles of fancy champagne. Clearly a lot more expensive than the kind she was planning on buying for the show.

She was touched. "Adrien, you didn't need to do that!" She told him.

"I wanted to." He answered honestly.

"Still…" She whined slightly. "… that was so thoughtful... I can't…"

"Oh, just kiss already." Someone mumbled, but it was loud enough to be clearly heard by everyone. And it sounded a lot like Leo's voice doing a ridiculously fake accent.

Marinette felt her face burn bright red. In order to hide it, she snatched the bottles of champagne away from him and marched over to set them on the counter. All while casting an evil glare to the gawking audience.

"Let's… uhh… go upstairs." She called to him.

You could hear the whine of disappointment from the collective gaggle of gays as the two of them headed for the stairs.

Marinette felt her lips smile slightly as she climbed the steep steps with Adrien following close behind.

Finally alone and without the judgmental looks from the group down below, Marinette let out a soft cry, feeling like her face was on fire.

"I'm so sorry about them." She called as she turned and headed into her room to retrieve his tux.

Adrien glanced around the upstairs, seeing it for the first time.

"No worries." He replied lightheartedly. "Not my first rodeo."

His feet stopped at the threshold into her bedroom. Not wanting to enter without her permission, but with the door being all the way open he got a good look inside.

The small space was warmly decorated. All soft hues of pinks, oranges, and reds, complimented with accents of gold. It was uniquely so Marinette that it made him smile.

A photo collage of gold-framed photographs decorated part of one wall. Even from here, he could see Alya and Nino in some of the photographs. People rarely printed actual photos anymore, it was nice to see them.

She suddenly appeared from around the corner, holding a garment bag above her head as she moved towards him in the small space.

"Here." She offered him the entire bag. "You can… erm… use my room or the room over there to… change."

Adrien turned around and looked for the other room she was referring to. He couldn't see much past the partially opened door.

It didn't feel right to use her bedroom, so he opted for the unknown room.

"J-Just the jacket and shirt please." She told him.

He nodded his head and headed across the landing towards the other door.

He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it softly behind him. There was a full-length mirror hanging off the back of the door, and then a well-spaced row of mismatched antique iron hooks. Although, grouped together like that, they looked like they belonged that way. He chose one of them, and hung the garment bag off of it.

The room lacked any windows and only had an antique looking sink. However, she had a brilliantly constructed a L-shaped floor-to-ceiling wall of shelving. Each containing an array of cubbies with colorful fabric drawers.

The room was clearly for storage, but done in a way that it did not appear cluttered or messy. There were some tubs and totes stacked up in the corner of the room, but other than that, the floor space was open enough to move around.

Adrien let out a little huff of surprise. Continuously being amazed by what she'd done with the space. It was like she had breathed new life into the tired, old building. Bringing out its hidden charms. Every room felt quaint and homey. While also completely utilitarian for what she needed.

He undid his tie and draped it over another hook. Slipping out of his suit jacket and shirt. Plagg gave him a sideways glance, but Adrien put a finger to his lips to keep the kwami from saying anything. The walls were probably very thin. And Plagg's voice was very unique.

He dressed in the ensemble, as instructed. Loving it perhaps even more than the first time. She'd added a few other subtle details. Including a patterned silk lining that felt delightfully cool against his skin.

He admired himself in the mirror on the door for a bit longer than he intended to. Considering she was probably just outside and waiting for him.

He opened the door and called to her. She padded into the little room, carrying a fabric strawberry porcupined with pins.

He stood patient and completely still in front of the mirror as she stood behind him. Running and smoothing her hands skillfully across the lines of the jacket. Tugging gently at the seams to ensure that everything was in line.

She didn't say anything. In fact, her eyes seemed to be looking through him as she was intensely focused on the garment.

"Are you getting excited?" he asked, wanting to break the silence.

"Hmm?" she called, her voice distant as she stuck a pin in the cuff of the jacket.

"For the show." He tried again. "It's less than a week away."

"Oh. Right. A week. Wow, yeah. I can't believe it. There's still so much I need to get done…"

"Like what?" he offered.

"Umm… hmm… well, I guess not a whole lot. I have some fliers to hang up. Probably will do that tomorrow. And then I need to go buy the food and drinks. Not that I'm doing all that much. I actually loved your idea about the fruit and water. And then the chairs I rented will be here on Friday. But I still want to clean up a bit before that. I need to move some stuff around downstairs. Fabricate the runway. Section off the stairs with a curtain…"

He whistled. "That sounds like quite a list. Are you really going to do all that in a week?"

She chuckled, and said yes as she came around to stand in front of him while fiddling with the satin buttons to ensure they were straight. Adrien stood perfectly still as she worked.

Without stopping to consider what she was saying, Marinette just spoke aloud what was on her mind.

"God, it's so nice to work with a professional who knows how to stand still. Alya was moving all over the place." She remarked.

Adrien smiled, recognizing the compliment. "Lots of practice. Oh, and years of getting poked with enough pins that its seared into my memory."

Marinette glanced up at him, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. Surrounded by that glistening silver hair, her blue eyes looked like they were sparkling.

"That's horrible! I've never poked anyone with a pin."

She abruptly stood up on her tip-toes, so that her eye level could be in line with the collar of the jacket.

The plastic fibers of her wig brushed his chin. He could smell the clean scent that clung to her skin. Unconsciously, he swallowed hard on a sudden dry throat at her immediate closeness. She was only there for a second, but time seemed to stand still for that simple second.

Her hands petted the collar, pressing it down and brushing off a piece of stray lint. He suddenly felt her touch as if she was touching his bare skin.

He held his breath. For what reason, he wasn't exactly sure. But it made his heart beat faster. Things lower in his body involuntarily tightened.

Was it the dramatic makeup and wig, or the fact that she looked so different? No, she was always pretty. Maybe that was the problem. She was pretty, the makeup only made it more obvious.

When she finally stepped away, Adrien found himself gasping for the air he had been denying himself the entire time. There was nothing professional about how his body had just reacted to her.

So, in an attempt to hide it, he actually moved away from her. Walking a few short steps over to his suit jacket and fished out his cell phone, pretending to have heard it vibrate.

He felt like a doofus for staring at an empty phone screen. But he had to calm his heart down and remember how to breathe again.

He heard her shuffle through one of the drawers along the back wall. And then the distinct tearing sound of fresh lint roller sheet echoed in the room.

Adrien took a calming breath and put his phone away.

"Everything ok?" she asked, touching the slightly sticky lint roller with her finger to be sure it was still good.

"Yeah, just a text." He lied.

He went back over and stood still once again so she could use the lint roller on the jacket.

"Could you bend down a bit?" she instructed.

He chuckled. "Sure." And bent his knees slightly so she could continue.

She used up the lint roll, peeled off another layer, and kept going.

After a few seconds, she paused. "So… Can I ask you something that is totally none of my business?"

Adrien tilted his head in question. "Depends on the question."

Marinette sucked in a nervous breath. "Right. Well, it's just. It's just been bugging me. And I didn't want to be rude and not invite her. That is, if she wants to come. To the show, I mean."

Adrien turned around and glanced at Marinette, who was chewing on her bottom lip. Although, the black lipstick didn't move. The action only made her lips look wetter.

"Who?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Erm… Chloe? I mean, since you two are sorta… dating? I guess?" She made the last bit a question, hoping to get an honest answer. Because scouring the internet had been pretty hopeless. All signs pointed to yes.

Not that Adrien shouldn't have a girlfriend. By all means, he was his own person. Free to date whomever he wanted. It was just the fact that it was Chloe, which bugged her.

"Oh, that." He replied. "Right. Umm… well…"

"She's welcome to come to the show. I'm sure she'd want to see walk you in it." Marinette offered, trying to play nice because she was afraid of what he was about to say, and she would have to add an insufferable Chloe to the guest list.

"We're not technically dating." He admitted shyly.

Marinette felt herself smile, so she turned around and went to go put the lint roller away in its drawer so he wouldn't see it.

"Oh, really? I thought I read it someone what you two were? I mean, I suppose you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet. Am I right?" She chuckled dryly to hide the fact that she was rambling.

"Sorry." She called over her shoulder. "Again, like I said, its really none of my business."

Adrien sighed. "No, no it's okay. You're probably one of the few people I can trust with the truth."

She turned around, "The truth?"

He nodded, looking suddenly sad and her heart skipped a beat.

"I hate to admit it. But it's kind of a publicity stunt. Something to change my image now that I'm the junior CEO of Agreste Fashions."

"Oh, I see." She muttered. Even though she didn't. Not at all. In fact, the sheer concept boggled her mind.

"So… what does that mean?" She pushed a bit further.

He sighed heavily. His shoulders slumping forward as he looked beat down. "I honestly wish I knew, Mari. Sometimes I want to scream with how complicated my life gets for no good reason."

She walked forward, standing a comfortable distance away while also trying to be supportive.

"I understand. I mean, I think I do. You're feeling like you're not getting a say in the way you get to live your life. And you have this image to uphold."

He nodded slowly. "It's exhausting." He admitted.

"I bet. You shouldn't let them control your life like this."

Adrien let the emotion of the moment get the better of him. He pinched his eyes closed and his chin dropped to his chest.

"I have to. I don't get a choice." He said weakly.

Marinette froze. Not sure what to say to him. Seeing this vulnerable side of him was unusual. And left her feeling frustrated because she didn't know how to help. It reminded her that everyone had their own struggles – no matter how perfect their life may seem.

She glanced around the room. Tapping into her Ladybug vision to see what others couldn't see in the objects that surrounded her.

Her eyes came to rest on a very small object sitting on a shelf near the sink. She walked forward and grabbed the item.

Turning back towards Adrien, she held it out for him to see.

It was a worn, pink velvet scrunchie.

"This is the very first thing I ever made." She explained. "When I was sewing it together, I caught the elastic band with the bobbin, and it later snapped inside. I could rip out the seam, take out the elastic, replace and re-sew it. But, it still stretches enough that it holds my hair…"

She fiddled with the old, well-loved scrunchie with her fingers. "I guess my point is: I've held onto it all this time because it reminds me of where I started from. This shop… it's been my dream for so long. And I know that I've sacrificed so much to finally get here. And it was all because of the choices I made. I knew that I couldn't let anyone else influence me. I knew that I had to go at it alone. Make my own mistakes and whatnot…"

She shook her head slightly. Trying to keep her words focused. "So, what I'm trying to say is: remember that you do have choices. You don't have to obey every command and always follow the rules. Because, without risks, you'll never get to see what lies beyond your decisions. And what you're truly capable of."

Adrien smiled gently at her words. Feeling them softly lift a bit of the weight up off of his shoulders.

He forced a smile to his lips. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

His voice didn't sound convincing, but she let it go. Because she could tell that he didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Slowly he slipped out of the tuxedo jacket. Walking over to hang it up. His fingers went for the shirt buttons and Marinette started to wiggle past him towards the door.

She ended up getting pressed into the wall as he nearly elbowed her in the face.

The awkward moment chased away the lingering sadness he felt, as he turned to peer behind himself and saw her trying to sneak by.

"Sorry. Sorry. Just trying to give you some privacy." She cried out, backing into the room once again. He'd have to move away from the door for her to get out.

He huffed in slight surprise. "My apologies. Guess I've undressed in front of so many people, I barely notice it anymore."

While continuing to unbutton buttons, he moved out of the way and Marinette scurried for the door. Opening it before turning back to face him because, god help her, she couldn't resist the gift she was about to get a peek at.

She caught sight of a line of bare skin peeking out from beneath the unbuttoned shirt. Perhaps even shadows of a chiseled torso and stomach. Either way, it was a drool-inducing image permanently seared into her brain.

Unnoticing of her eyes on him, Adrien started to take the shirt off more, and she bolted without looking back. Face filling with heat because her thirteen year old self was screaming inside of her head.

Adrien was different. He would always be special to her. And the sight of him still caused her to feel emotions that weren't proper to have between friends.

Mariette replayed last night and their conversation over and over again in her head as she walked down to the next lamppost. There were things she could have said better. She honestly could have just kept her mouth shut. But then she wouldn't have seen that deep within that strong, chiseled exterior, Adrien was actually hurting.

She put the roll of duct tape over her wrist like a bracelet, and shifted the fliers in her arms so she could retrieve her phone out of her purse.

She opened her messages and quickly typed a message.

**(Marinette):** _I'm sorry if I sounded too preachy last night. I hope you're doing better today. I really can't thank you enough for all the help. I'm still so nervous. See you Saturday!_

Not ten seconds later, her phone chimed with a response.

**(Adrien):** _Preachy? Not at all. It felt really good to hear what you said._

**(Adrien):** _And yes, I'm doing much better today._

**(Adrien):** _Don't be nervous. It's going to be great._

**(Adrien):** _Just imagine everyone in their underwear. Always works for me. ;)_

**(Marinette):** _lol_ _Maybe that's because you're always surrounded by people who are only in their underwear?_

**(Adrien):** _*le gasp* Inconceivable!_

**(Marinette):** _OMG I love that movie._

**(Adrien):** _Me too._

Smiling at her phone, Marinette slipped it back into her pocket as she headed underground into the metro station to hang up the last few of her fliers.

* * *

As Saturday approached Marinette had managed to pull out all of the stops. Her entire space had been transformed to accommodate god-knows how many people. But she was shooting for the moon.

Her thrifty mind gave her the best idea to use wooden pallets as a makeshift runway. And she bought a giant bolt of used carpet in a fantastic lipstick red color. Diligently, she stretching and nailing the carpet down to the pallets and then securing them together with brackets – _Et voilà_! A DIY runway.

At the end of her T-shaped runway, she set up a pair of battery powered mini fans. Wanting to bring out that extra little bit of hair blowing drama.

By the time Friday rolled around, Marinette was giddy with excitement and her adrenaline was pumping non-stop. She kept trying to go to bed early, but sleep was pretty much impossible.

Everything was prepped and as ready as it was going to be for tomorrow. She had a team of friends and family coming to help her get set up. Another team of acquaintances to handle hair and makeup. Nino would come with his equipment. There truly wasn't anything missing. And if there was, well, then she'd roll with the punches as they came.

The only factor she couldn't control was the appearance of an akuma to wreak the whole event. Which, because it was her ridiculous life, seemed inevitable.

"Tikki?" She called into the darkness of her room. "You still awake?"

"Of course. Who can sleep?" Tikki answered. The little kwami was just as excited as her Chosen.

"I feel like I've been ignoring you these past few weeks."

"Not at all Marinette." Tikki countered. Flying up to float near Marinette's face.

"Tomorrow is going to be great." She assured her.

Marinette nodded. "I know. At least, I hope it will be."

"It will." Tikki told her.

Marinette sighed, trying to relax. "I'm worried an akuma will show up. It's been too quiet lately. And they always tend to show up at the worst possible times."

Her mind instantly thinking back to her reluctant conversation with Luka. God, she really had dodged a giant bullet there.

The man was barely returning her texts. Although, he did say he would "try and show up" to her show tomorrow. So, Marinette guessed that was better than nothing? At this point, what were they? Friends with feelings and non-benefits? That sounded depressing.

When this was all over, she was going to have to make some serious decisions about her and Luka.

But she didn't want to think about that right now. She wanted to send some positivity out into the universe and keep away any negative energy that may feed a wayward soul into attracting an akuma.

Closing her eyes in the quiet darkness, she spoke aloud with a bit of humor to her voice. "I'm sure Chat Noir can handle Paris for one night?"

She hadn't seen the wayward black cat in a while. She'd been skipping out on patrol to prepare for this event. She owed him an explanation for her prolonged absence, and a big thank you for covering for her. Truthfully, the man couldn't have come back to Paris at a better time. And she trusted him to be there when she couldn't be.

Tikki fluttered her wings quickly creating a comforting humming sound that made Marinette sigh in contentment. Tikki knew Marinette would drop everything if an akuma happened to attack. That's just the kind of person she was. Completely selfless.

Tikki couldn't help feeling guilty for burdening Marinette with her duties as Ladybug – especially with such a big event planned and prepped to the very detail. But there was nothing she could do or say to give her Chosen hope that everything would be alright.

Because, maybe not tomorrow, but sometime soon, something was about to happen. Tikki couldn't explain it. It was just a feeling. And she wouldn't burden Marinette with it yet. Let the show happen first. She deserved that much.

"You have great friends, Marinette." Tikki told her gently, noticing the relaxed state of Marinette's body as sleep finally consumed her.

"They would never let anything go wrong that would ruin your night."

* * *

The weather on Saturday was overcast and breezy. The bright sky was hidden behind heavy clouds that looked ready to dump a bunch of rain, but never did.

Adrien had spent the early part of the morning working out, and then sitting down to answer some emails before jumping in the shower. He kept glancing at the clock every half an hour. Anxious and also excited to get over to Marinette's.

She had told him to arrive by 2PM, but he wanted to get there early to help set up. He texted her a few times, but got no reply. Not that he thought too much into it, he knew she was probably busy preparing for the day.

All the more reason he ought to just stay home. He'd only get in her way.

Although, he had now begun to steadily pacing back and forth in his apartment. Checking for the hundredth time to be sure he had the cufflinks she wanted, as well as the dress shoes.

Plagg sat on the arm of the couch, watching Adrien pace like a trapped animal, and simply chewed on his gooey cheese.

"Will you sit down and chill out already? You're making me loose my appetite."

Adrien paused and glared at the kwami. "I can't take it. I want to be over there."

Plagg swallowed his bite. "Why? You've done like a thousand of these runway shows. Aren't they all the same?"

Adrien leaned against the back of the couch. "This one is different. It's… personal. I want to see Marinette succeed. I know she's had a tough time."

Plagg dusted off his tiny paws and flew into the air. "You're sure giving her a lot of special attention."

Adrien's glare deepened. "I am not."

Plagg flew closer into his face, and sarcastically chastised him.

"Uh-huh suuure. Whatever you say. You text her more than you do your own 'girlfriend'." He did the last word in little air quotes.

Adrien knew he was talking about Chloe. He'd been pretty much been ignoring the other woman since the collective dinner with their parents. Not that he cared. He was still angry about the whole situation. Besides, he liked hanging out with Marinette and her friends more anyway. Although he'd never admit that to Plagg.

Chloe had something booked on his calendar for all of next weekend. Sooner or later he'd have to address what it was. At first glance it looked like an interview. But an interview certainly didn't take two days. Something was up.

Plagg tapped him on the nose, "Don't frown so much, kid. You'll get wrinkles. And then I'll have to endure you using more of those god-awful face masks."

Adrien let his face muscles relax. He may have even smiled a bit at Plagg's words.

Besides, he'd deal with Chloe later. Right now, he didn't care if he was 2 hours early, he wanted to get over to Marinette's and focus on making the day about her and her show.

Picking up his small overnight bag, which contained a change of clothes and some grooming tools, he called for Plagg while taking giant strides out of the door and down the hall to the elevator.

Although, after only about thirty seconds, he hastily rushed right back through the door once again, grabbing the dress shoes and cufflinks he'd walked by and almost forgotten.

"Not a word." He hissed to Plagg, but the kwami was already laughing at him.

* * *

Adrien was let out of his sleek private car in front of Marinette's store, tucking his dress shoes under one arm as he stood up fully, and the his driver closed the car door behind him.

People were coming and going in all directions out of the big wooden front door. Although, everyone collectively stopped and stared as soon as he arrived; instantly grouping up to begin whispering and pointing in his direction.

He was quite used to this reaction. He wondered how much he'd have to play up the famous Adrien Agreste fake persona. This was, after all, a fashion show. And he had a world-renowned image to uphold.

In the back of his mind, he sincerely hoped he could just forget about his image tonight. He didn't feel like pretending. Not with a room full of people he called real friends.

He held his head high and walked towards the shop. Through the large glass front window, he could see another half dozen people moving around inside.

Stepping inside, there were a group of young kids setting up folding chairs in neat but cramped rows. Under the strict supervision of a portly German woman. Adrien knew she was German because she was speaking it about every other word.

He saw Nino over against the far wall, carefully setting up his equipment. Adrien was about to go say hi, when he felt himself suddenly get firmly hugged around his middle by tiny but strong arms.

Glancing to over, his face lit up with a smile when he discovered it was Marinette's mother, Sabine, who was the one hugging him.

"Adrien!" she exclaimed happily. "Marinette told me you were in the show. It's so good to see you."

Adrien was touched that she remembered him. He gave her a one-armed hug in return. "It's wonderful to see you again, Mrs. Dupain-Chang."

"Oh please. Sabine is fine." She scolded him.

"Sabine, my apologies." He corrected himself.

She sighed happily, "Still so charming and polite… Why hasn't some girl scooped you up yet?" she persisted.

Adrien didn't quite know how to answer that. So he opted for a partial truth. "Guess I just haven't been lucky yet."

Sabine petted his arm motheringly. "You'll get there." She quickly switched topics. "Gosh, you're so tall! You must be nearly as tall as Tom now."

Adrien remembered Marinette's father very well. And not just from the Ware-dad incident. He certainly wasn't anywhere near Tom's size.

Speaking of, Tom came into the room carrying bags of lemons and limes. He brought them over to the counter, and set them down with the other large array of fruit that was currently being cut up.

"Adrien!" he called happily. Rushing over to join his wife.

"Good to see you Mr. Dupain-Chang." Adrien said, extending his hand outward. Tom bear pawed his hand, but also abruptly pulled him into his massive chest, giving him a quick hug.

Yeah, there was no way Adrien was anywhere close to being as tall as Tom. The older man still had a good four to five inches on him.

"Good to have you back in Paris." Tom bellowed happily. "I heard you're pretty much the head-hauncho at Agreste Fashions now. How's your dad doing?"

Adrien faked a business smile that he had perfected when talking about his father – it hid the fact that he wanted to scowl.

"He's doing quite well. Still working, but taking some business else ware."

"Yeah, he always was a workaholic." Tom agreed.

"Tom." Sabine interjected gently, putting her small hand on her husband's chest. "That's not nice."

Adrien shook his head and waved the statement away. "It's quite alright Mrs. Dupain-Chang. It's no mystery that my Father is who he is. I've grown to accept it."

Tom thunked him sharply on the shoulder, almost forcing Adrien to take a step forward but he caught himself. "You're absolutely right. How very mature of you, son. I'm sure your father is very proud of you."

Adrien smiled pleasantly. "I'd like to think so."

Sabine reached out and rubbed his arm again. "It's so good to see you. We can't wait for the show. Marinette has poured so much time and energy into this. She's just been an absolute nervous wreak. But I'm so excited for her."

"Is she here?" Adrien asked. Wanting to help where he could since he was early.

Sabine nodded. "Upstairs getting primped with a few of the other models. Oh! That sounds so fun to say. Other models!"

"Well, I better get going up there too." Adrien said. "It was great seeing you both."

"You too." Tom said warmly.

Sabine just hugged him again. "We'll see you in the show!"

Adrien got about two steps away from Marinette's parents before Leo came charging down the stairs, pushing the curtain aside and glancing around the room wildly until his eyes fell upon Adrien. His snowy blonde curls hidden underneath a fishnet wig cap, and he was in the baking phase of his makeup.

"There you are!" he cried, finally laying eyes on Adrien. "Drag that fine ass up here pronto mister."

Adrien smirked and quietly obeyed. He waved to Nino as he climbed the stairs, and walked into what could only be called: organized chaos.

* * *

**Author's note: Bit of a shorter chapter this time cause the next one is going to be LONG. Thank you for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: I couldn't contain my excitement, and just had to share this chapter with you guys. This chapter and the next one are what started this whole fic idea. And these scenes just wouldn't leave my head.** **I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

\- Chapter 10 -

Somehow, Leo had managed to wrestle Marinette to sit down for five minutes so he could curl her hair and even pin it up on the sides with some rhinestone studded bobby pins. And, while she was held captive and still, another drag queen did her makeup – despite Marinette's protests that she didn't want them to bother with her and just focus on themselves. But Leo and his sisters were having none of it, and were determined to give Marinette the star treatment.

When she was finally allowed to stand up and emerge from the makeup chair, Marinette barely recognized herself in the mirror. The delicate and symmetrical liquid eyeliner cut through the dual toned eyeshadow and sapphire glitter packed onto her lids. With a subtle but brightening touch of luminescent pigment in the corner of her eyes. Not to mention, the added fluffy fake eyelashes made her eyes pop.

Still, Marinette did not have enough time to stop and fully admire the way she looked. Nor the way that Leo had matched the eye shadows to blend dramatically with the color of her sapphire blue fit-n-flair 1950's style dress. Which, subsequently, matched her eyes.

Marinette was blinking a lot, and brushed her fingertip against the fake eyelashes as she exited the room – not at all used to the way that they felt glued to her lashline.

Adrien had the great fortune of being directly in Marinette's path as she all but slammed into him in her distracted rush.

He had seconds to appreciate how lovely she looked. No, not just lovely. That wasn't a proper word to describe her look. Breath taking was better. A pure vision in hues of blue. Radiating elements of traditional Hollywood glamour due to the vintage styling of her dress, hair and makeup. Her look was emulating that pinup girl style that he was secretly a sucker for.

She blinked doe eyes up at him as she apologized and smiled peach-toned glossy lips. There were geometric, keyhole cutouts at the bust of the dress that showed off her collarbone as her naturally pale skin peeked through.

"Oh. You're here." She gasped, pulling her hand away from where it had landed against his forearm. And then her face dropped slightly in slight shock at the realization.

"Is it 2 already? Oh my god."

And then she bolted towards her bedroom and was lost in the sea of half-dressed people.

Adrien wanted to tell her that he was early, and not to worry. He also wanted to tell her how lovely she looked. But all of the words died on this tongue.

In fact, he struggled to take in a full and complete breath.

Why did she make his breath catch in his throat like this? Perhaps it was because Marinette didn't realize how pretty she was. Nor did she ever go to extremes with her appearance. Which made moments like this all the more special. She did not possess a single arrogant bone in her petite body.

He had spent most of his life surrounded by attractive men and women. Like him, most were models, or producers and agents. Everyone carried a heavy air of arrogance and egotism. Numerous faceless women had pursued him because of the way he looked, and the fame associated with his name. And he had given in to those human desires, because it had been expected of his image. But none of them ever cared about him as a person.

Perhaps that was why he didn't sleep at nights, because it hurt too much to wake up alone.

If he hadn't convinced his father to allow him to attend public school as a kid, he probably would have developed those same selfish, conceited attitudes. In some ways, he already had. It was like pulling off and putting on a different social mask each and every day.

But reacquainting with a sincerely good-natured and pleasant person like Marinette. Who was surrounded by a fun-loving group of friends who made him genuinely laugh and smile. He began to understand that pieces of his true character had always been here in Paris, and with these people.

Years ago and as a conflicted teen, the days seemed to go on forever. But having been gone for such a long time, he was now starting to comprehend how different things may have been had he actually stayed in Paris. Time wouldn't have put a blindfold over his eyes and heart.

He was lost to the chaos of their shared, but fleeting moment, and stood rooted in place as his gaze lingered on the group of people Marinette had disappeared into. This realization, it was new and altogether puzzling. But, gods, it left him wanting more.

He stared longingly until hand grabbed his elbow, snapped him from his daze, and began to drag him towards the hair and makeup chair.

"Drool later, sunshine. We've got major work to do."

* * *

About an hour before the start of the show, Nino cracked his knuckles over his controller and launchpad. Adjusting his bulky headphones over his ears, he slowly faded in some deep, pulsing tones. Playing with the melodies, as the beats jumped around and gradually built up before spilling into a well-known song.

People were already starting to fill the place up. And now, with the music starting, it pulled the crowd to their seats in anticipation of what was about to come.

Marinette crouched down low and strained her eyes to peek through the gap in the curtain at the bottom of the stairs. Watching with a fluttering heart as people filed in. Every chair had a person sitting in it. Others were beginning to stand up in the back.

The turnout was better than she could have ever expected. Especially when she noticed the TV camera and being set up on its elevated tripod. She owed Alya a big hug for orchestrating that.

A loud tapping of high heels told her that someone had now joined her on the stairs.

"There's so many people." She whispered to Candi Sourz (Leo), who crouched down to peek too.

Candi smiled and swished a lock of platinum blonde hair out of her face. "Well, you know how it goes. One person tells five people. Those five tell five more. And, boom! Full house!"

Marinette smiled at her and slowly nodded, "I-I-I'm so nervous." She admitted, unable to contain the shaking in her voice.

Candi made a tut-tut noise with her tongue. "Everyone's reaction to fame is different, babe. As for me, I simply breathe it in like sweet, glorious air. Letting it fill up my lungs, until I can do nothing but exhale greatness."

Marinette chuckled and the two of them went back upstairs to put the final touches on everyone.

Marinette had decided that since she was debuting a Spring collection, all of her models would wear some kind of flower on their outfits. Each one was to be as unique and different as the model who wore it, while also having it blend perfectly with the overall design. Not to mention, it was a subtle and secretive nod to her alter-ego self – not that anyone knew that. But she did, and it made her heart smile.

The upstairs two rooms and small hallway were filled with the wildest assortment of people and designs. Outfits ranging from sequin-studded ball gowns and four-inch stilettos, to comfy street clothes and sneakers.

Candi had five of her drag sisters modeling in the show – six, actually, if you included Candi. Not that Candi would ever allow herself to go unnoticed.

Marinette had seven models, not including herself. Even though she had made her own dress, she didn't feel like she especially needed to be part of the show.

Glancing around at the familiar faces, everyone looked amazing and held nervous smiles. Well, everyone except Adrien. He looked completely calm – not to mention, unbelievable handsome. But he was also the only professional in the group.

Special thanks to Candi and her girls for the major assist with hair and makeup on Marinette's models. Everyone looked exactly how she envisioned them. Perhaps even better than she could have imagined.

For her first ever fashion show, Marinette couldn't have asked for a better group of people to share it with. In fact, the whole evening was gradually building with sensations of pure magic.

Marinette felt herself getting a little weepy as these thoughts bumbarded her mind.

"Don't you start babe!" Candi roared loudly. "If you start, then I'll start. And then I'll need another two hours to do this face up again."

Marinette laughed away her tears. Touching the corner of her eye with her knuckle to catch any wayward happy tears that happened to fall.

Turning to the entire group, it felt only appropriate to say a few words. Even though she hadn't prepared anything ahead of time. So when words started pouring out of her lips, they came straight from the heart.

"You all. You all… look… so… amazing. I can't… I can't believe we're really doing this. I just… I can't… thank you. Thank you all so much."

She felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder, and was shocked to see that it was Ms. Gelinas comforting her. The older woman said nothing, but her eyes were shining.

Marinette sniffled a bit, fighting back her tears, and quickly collected herself. A firm resolve growing in her belly.

"Right." She told everyone boldly, channeling her inner Ladybug. "Everyone go down there, and just have the best time ever. Walk the runway as many times as you want. Dance, pose, whatever. I just want everyone to have fun."

Candi jumped in. "No stripping though. It's not that kind of show."

She turned and pointed a judgmental hot pink fingernail at Adrien. "That goes double for you, sunshine."

"Aww, man." Adrien pouted, pretending to kick something on the ground. "I never get to have any fun."

The collective group busted out laughing.

* * *

Candi threw back the makeshift velvet curtain door at the bottom of the staircase with a dramatic flurry. She was welcomed down the runway by a sounding of applause.

Patten leather gold knee-high go-go boots tapped audibly as she sashayed her way towards the gawking crowd. The gold boots added to the drama of her Rapunzel-esque flowing blonde wig and bright pink latex dress, complete with a fluffy white, faux fur mini-coat. A choker containing bold costume jewels of tourmaline and thick gold chains dripped down from her check, through her contoured fake tits.

Grabbing the handheld microphone offered up by Nino, she faintly purred into the speakers. Drawing a soft chuckle from the audience.

"Well…" She flirted. "… here we are my dears. Together at last." Speaking every word slowly while strutting back and forth, making seductive eye contact with everyone in the front row.

"Oh. How lovely to see you all. You're all looking wonderful this evening. Yes… yes, my eyes are up here dear. Uh-huh, that's better. Good boy. See me after class."

The laughter bubbled in the room, as more people shuffled in off the street trying to see what all the commotion was about.

Candi cast her gaze up and spoke directly to the curious crowd gathering by the open door and singled them out.

"Yes, yes do come in. Don't be shy. Just a gay boy dressed as a woman. Nothing to fear. That's right. Yes. Keep it coming. There's enough of me to go around. And I'm here to keep you cumming all night long."

Those who caught the sexual joke laughed.

Candi smiled to herself, and lovingly petted her fluffy short coat while more people pushed into the room. Although space was quickly becoming limited.

"I assure you, this promises to be… a night… filled with… passion, excitement, and a whole lot of… well, perhaps I shouldn't tell you the rest..." Her voice completely husky and sultry as she teased the audience.

"For tonight, shall be a night you will never… ever forget." She continued.

"And I'm not just talking about _moi_." She dropped her fur coat slightly, exposing a sexy, body-glitter encrusted shoulder while fluttering her thick eyelashes.

The crowd laughed. Someone whistled provocatively.

Candi twirled the microphone in her hand. Raising a teasing eyebrow while adding. "Oh, and yes, I suppose their is to be a fantastic fashion show tonight as well."

A cheer rang out amongst the group and people began to clap excitedly.

Candi smiled brightly, and her whole demeanor shifted. Her voice gained energy and volume, reverberating off of the walls.

"My name is Candi Sourz, and I will be your _debonair_ hostess for the evening. I do so welcome you all to this most fabulous event! Tonight we shall showcase some of the fantastic new items straight out of the _House of Candi_."

She paused for the rush of applause, eating every bit of it up.

"Oh, thank you. Muah, thank you, Muah. You are too kind. Oh do go on. Seriously, go on." Candi giddily fanned herself using her hand.

More laughter and clapping followed her antics.

After a few more seconds of playing it up, Candi dropped her hand and her tone went more serious.

"And then, for our main event this evening…" Candi paused for dramatic effect. "I have the distinct honor, privilege and pleasure of introducing the stunning designs of Paris' newest and most up and coming designer. The incredibly talented and beautiful: Miss Marinette Dupain-Chang!"

The crowed applauded enthusiastically.

"Everything you shall see here tonight, is 100% available for order…" Candi added. "Including me."

Another few catcalls echoed in the room, as Candi dipped low and flicked her long hair. Nino played a short silly clip of Yello's _Oh Yeah_.

Candi smiled at Nino's little impromptu moment, stood up and sauntered closer. "Oh, but of course, let's show some love to our fantastic DJ and mix-master, Mr. Nino Lahiffe!"

She gestured excitedly towards Nino who took a small bow to the applause.

"Yes… yes…" Candi swooned, standing very close to Nino and lovingly stroking her long nails down his arm. "Sorry ladies and gents, he's sadly taken. And his fiancée could probably kick every one of y'alls asses. So, no touchie the DJ."

A collective aww's fell over the crowd, along with another spike of laughter.

Candi chuckled at her own joke, and threw her hand up high into the air. Belting out in a glorious high note:

"Alright girls! Intros are done. Playtime is over. Let's do this thing. It's showtime!"

She spun around in her tight dress, stripping off her fur coat and throwing it over one shoulder. The thick coating of golden body glitter sparkled like her skin was made of wet jewels.

"DJ, let's bring them out!" she called excitedly.

Nino hit a button and cranked up the volume as music began to pump through the speakers.

Candi started to sway her hips and dance to the snazzy beat, gesturing to the audience who begin to clap along.

The curtain at the stairs parted and one of Candi's drag sisters stepped through wearing a sea-green mermaid style gown dripping in sequins. Candi moved aside and let the woman strut her stuff.

With every model that came out, Nino paced the music in time with their movements and Candi described the ensemble while continuing to crack silly jokes and hints of shade.

"Ooo, yes, girl. Werk."

"I totally made that. Yes, I did. All me."

"Ha! Looks better on me though. Ya know what I'm sayin'?"

While Candi's clothing was not for the every day person, no one could argue that it wasn't good fun. The over-the-top colors and gaudy accessories matched each queen's eccentric personality.

With the continuous flow of oohs and ahhs from the audience, the queens knew they were doing something right, and it hyped them up to slay the number even harder

Thanks to Candi and her sisters, the room was electric with energy. Queens intermingled with the audience, posed for selfies, and kissed cheeks. All the while feeling the fantasy of Candi's outfits.

By the time Candi shooed the lime-light stealing queens off the runway and announced the start of Marinette's designs, the tiny shop was packed wall-to-wall with people. There was even a crowd gathering outside. People had their phones out and were taking pictures and recording video.

Nino faded the bouncing music into a slightly different melody, as the first model stood prepared to walk.

As curtain parted, revealing Marinette's first model, no one expected what they were now seeing. For the older woman looked completely unrecognizable.

Mrs. Gelinas appeared like she had turned back the clock ten years. Gone was the baggy nightgown-looking dress and patchwork couch blanket. She was dressed up in a sophisticated and tailored women's pant suit – a gentle ode to her not-so-long-ago days as an accomplished businesswoman. The suit was a lovely chocolate brown color, with large herringbone buttons.

She carried herself down the runway with poise and rejuvenation. Her greying hair teased and styled to keep with the airy look of sophistication. Pinned to the lapel of her jacket, was a sprig of yellow daffodils – a symbol of rebirth.

When her young tenant had first called and asked her about being a model, (because Marinette thought it was only right to extend the offer to the older woman who owned the building hosting the event) Mrs. Gelinas thought she was pranking her, scoffed, and nearly hung up the phone.

But as the designer began to speak about the event, as well as her ideas and designs, Mrs. Gelinas realized that she was being completely serious. And once she went to her first fitting, she instantly fell in love with her outfit.

More so because Marinette had seen in her what she thought she had lost. Once she had retired from the business world, she had sunken into an uncaring slump – thinking it was normal to just fizzle into the background. However, seeing herself dressed once again in a professional and stylish suit, made her realize that, while she may be retired, she certainly wasn't dead.

Mrs. Gelinas tried so hard to keep her face serious and stern, but as she walked closer to edge of runway and Candi started talking her up, it quickly melted away. Revealing a bright, youthful smile. She hadn't felt this good in years.

Fellow neighbors and people in the attendance who knew her were in blatant shock of the transformation. And Mrs. Gelinas couldn't be happier to see the surprised looks on the faces of her friends.

Furthermore, she now had a deep impression of respect for the talented woman who was renting and revitalizing her building and, clearly, making it her own. She couldn't more proud for renting to such a respectable young woman. Mrs. Gelinas had never had children, choosing to focus on her career, but if she had, she would have wanted them to be like Marinette. Perhaps, after this was all over, she would consider adding that lease-to-own clause into Marinette's contract.

Satisfied with her moment in the spotlight, she stepped off the runway and stood with the boisterous drag queens and welcomed the next model.

The curtain swished to the side, and a large man awkwardly made his way down the last few steep steps before stepping out onto the runway.

When he stood up to his full height, he carefully secured a newsboy-style hat on his head, smoothed down his well-groomed mustache, and confidently puffed out his chest. Tucking a relaxed hand into the pocket of his tweed pants, and hooking his thumb under one of the suspenders, he casually moseyed down the runway. Completely feeling himself in the crisp dress shirt and paisley pattered bowtie.

For such a large man, Mr. Cardinas looked comfortable. In fact, he looked downright cheery. The outfit was distinguished and age appropriate, while adding an air of refinement.

He had willingly trimmed those wispy bits of hair still clinging to his head, and cleaned up his facial hair. It made him look so clean cut.

In the audience, his wife was crying with happy hysterics. She hadn't seen her husband in anything but a stained butcher's apron in many years.

Mr. Cardinas did his laps on the runway before stepping down and plucked the puffy orange carnation pinned to his suspenders, and handed it to his wife – which only made her turn bright red, mutter some German, and then sob even louder.

Up next, with as much self-assured attitude – if not more than his father – came Mr. Cardinas' oldest son, Craig.

Since Craig was the youngest of Marinette's models, she had fun with designed him a look that played off his too-cool-for-school attitude. The boy was living it up in his streetwear look. Complete with a heather gray bomber jacket, slim fitting pants, beanie, and black-framed glasses. And while Craig didn't have any real flowers, he spun around and pointed to back of his jacket, which was embroidered with two colorful birds-of-paradise.

He strutted down the runway, pausing to do some quick, trendy dance moves, which earned him a lot of hoots, shouts and yells from a large group of his friends who were in attendance.

He posed at the end of the runway for a long time. Striking a bunch of steel-faced poses, and throwing in the occasional dab. Which got the crowd riled up.

Although, he dropped the silly act when his Father stepped back up on the runway and joined him. Looking very much like Father and son, the two men stood handsomely back-to-back as numerous camera flashes went off in their faces.

Three models in, and only four more to go. But no one was ready for it to be over. In fact, as the music shifted into something with minor chords and reverbs, the entire tone of the show shifted unexpectedly.

And it wasn't just because Luka had managed to push his way through the thick crowd of people. Due to his intense and exotic look, people tended to let him pass.

He got inside just as his sister pushed back the curtain and stepped out onto the runway. Her movements were a bit shy and nervous, but she was dully smiling.

Juleka's high-waisted black skirt hugged her stomach and upper legs, and then flared out in a flourish of stiff pleats. Each pleat had a bit of peek-a-boo lace hidden within the folds. The skirt was a mix of textiles: mostly fabric, but with hints of leather and lace in all the right places. It was an outfit all on its own. Being such a complex, eye-catching and dramatic statement piece, that the sleeveless turtleneck sweater tucked into it looked almost plain, by comparison.

Her chosen flower was a large purple orchid clipped into her long hair just above one ear – keeping her bangs pulled back on one side of her face, which showed off her dramatic smokey-eye makeup. Her multi-colored violet and black hair was left undone and flowed behind her like a gentle cape.

Her arms were bare, except for a pair of bracers that went up to her elbow and flared into lacey bell-sleeves at her wrists. It was romantic, goth-chic kind of look. And it absolutely suited Juleka.

Candi jumped up and joined Juleka at the end of the runway, grabbed her by the hand. The two of them spun in slow circles to the beat of the music.

With that friendly gesture, Juleka's body language instantly relaxed and she let go of Candi's hand with enough self confidence to twirl on her own so that the crowd got a glimpse at the elegant row of zig-zag leather corset strings that fastened the skirt to the small of her back.

To further divert her nervous mind from the amount of camera flashes now going off in her face, she played with the wide bell sleeves, flapping them so that they caught the air and billowed. Marinette had created them with the idea that Juleka would appreciate having a distraction from the crowd. And, the effect created a light and airy feel to the otherwise darkness of the outfit.

Rose came out next, beaming with visible glowing enthusiasm as she practically skipped down the runway. She had on short, pale pink colored, skirt overalls with a few subtle pleats at the bottom of the skirt. Matched with a ribbed textured white croptop underneath. The skirt overalls fastened over her shoulders and crisscrossed across her back. There was a pocket sewn into the front of the overalls, embroidered with white and yellow daisies.

A floppy, wide brimmed hat covered her short pixie hairstyle. But as she reached the end of the runway, she lifted the hat off her head and held it at her side – revealing a flower crown of white daisies that matched the embroidery.

She was laughing and giggling as she bounced along the runway. Looking so absolutely sweet and adorable that it made your teeth hurt just to look at her. But, much like Juleka's outfit, the design was made with Rose in mind, and screamed her personality.

The two girls stood on the runway together, looking like polar opposites in their attire. But it somehow worked, and the crowd was loving it.

Rose grabbed Juleka's hands and swung them back and forth excitedly as she danced along to the music before the both of them stepped off the runway.

Candi returned to the runway, microphone poised to her lips as the music died down enough for her to speak.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, of course, we've saved the very best for last." She hummed.

Nino faded in a gentler melody. He allowed the music play on, building up the moment until the pace of the song picked up at the chorus.

Noting his cue, Adrien slipped past the curtain. He paused to gently adjust the cuffs at each sleeve before rolling his shoulders back, and started making his way down the runway.

To say the room exploded with gasps was an understatement. He commanded the runway like no other model could do.

He wasn't simply walking, he was gliding. Every fluid moment distinctly pronounced by the fit of the tuxedo, and his perfectly paced walk.

Both men and women alike blushed as he drew closer. Simply because he looked like a groom plucked straight out of a fairy-tale wedding. The prince you all dream about marrying after he rescues you from that fire-breathing dragon, and carries you off into the sunset.

All enhanced by the fact that he carried with him a single, long-stemmed red rose.

Oh the fantasy was real and so very alive that you could feel it in the air and it tingled across the skin.

Adrien held his face passive and still. Finding that quiet headspace within his own mind that allowed him to be a world famous model. Shifting his weight comfortably as he switched poses. Letting the clothing wear him. While completely ignoring the blinding camera flashes. The sheer amount of blinking lights never breaking his mental concentration.

At this point, everyone in the room recognized him, and was already swooning.

And then, the music shifted, and, on key, he turned on his heels. Gliding back up the runway the way he came, and away from the gawking audience.

Pausing at the back of the room and awaiting the music change, he carefully unbuttoned the jacket.

So, when the beat finally dropped, he excitedly turned around and started sauntering back down the runway. This time with all the swagger of Chat Noir, and a devilishly sly smile to match.

The open tuxedo jacket flared around his hips, revealing the patterned silk lining as he moved.

He did not need to keep the stoic stone face anymore. This was a fun show. The whole atmosphere was electric and silly.

So when he reached the end of the runway, he paused and struck a variety of ridiculous stances. Even blowing a few kisses to the shrieking audience.

And, of course, because he simply couldn't help himself, he stuck the red rose between his teeth and continued to pose.

Oh, he hammed it up good. Loving every second of it because he got to have fun. And he couldn't remember the last time he smiled so much while at a fashion event.

This, all in turn, earned him loud hoots and hollers from the crowd and the gagging queens.

Pleased with his performance, he tossed his rose into the audience, he nodded to Nino before stepped off the runway to stand with the other models – who all held their collective breaths in anticipation of who was about to come down the stairs next. Because they knew how amazing she would look.

At Candi's request, Nino slowly faded in a mix of soft, romantic tones. The notes floated through the air, adding to the build up of the angelic moment. As the music played on, someone in the back of the room hit the lights. And the room immediately was cast in shadows.

A few of the models took out their cell phones and turned on the their flashlights.

Gradually, everyone in the crowd got the hint, and turned on their own phone's flashlights. The room now glowed subtly with a blue-white light, casing long shadows but making the air faintly glisten with the effect.

Alya pushed the curtain aside and gently floated out onto the runway. Her exquisite gown hovering along with her slow movements.

Nino was paying attention to the soundboard, and wasn't looking up, until the crowd audibly gasped and cooed in delight.

Casually, he glanced up over the rims of his glasses. Did a physical double-take and felt his jaw drop. Because the sight of his incredible fiancé before him like this caused him to forget how to breathe.

With Alya's olive skin-tone, a white wedding dress wouldn't have looked right. So, her dress was designed in ivory. Adrien's tux shirt had intentionally matched, but no one cared about that right now, they were all too busy looking at her.

Thanks to the low hued lighting of the numerous cell phones, the fabric of her gown shimmered as she gently kicked out the skirts when she walked. The sparkles delicately sewn into the veins of lace caught the light and shimmered as if they were lit with individual LEDs.

Her wavy hair was wrapped up in an elastic crown headband of pearls. With a short veil fluttering just past her shoulders.

She held a single calla lily in her clasped hands. Her chin and gaze dipped downward as she gracefully moved down the runway.

Although she did cast a sideways smirking glance towards Nino, because she was secretly loving his unfiltered and flabbergasted expression. Ah, her master plan had worked perfectly.

Turning her gaze forward once again, she turned her attention to focus on the sea of people in front of her. Most of whom were on their feet, pushing their phones outward.

She was smiling with genuine delight at the amazing moment. But also because she still had another secret, soon to be revealed.

Just before the end of the runway, she paused in her walk. Reaching behind her back, she began slowly unlacing a small bow – just the way Marinette showed her how.

And with a gentle tug, the shimmery overskirt fell away as she stepped forward. Revealing a stunning trumpet silhouette that hugged her curves like a second skin before flaring around her calves.

Completely feminine in its style, but also quite sexy. It was two completely different dresses, wrapped into one.

Alya made it to end of the runway and was greeted by a room of smiling and awed faces. Perhaps even a few happy sobs. She posed in her dress, glancing beautifully over one shoulder. She was stunning, almost ethereal looking in her hand-made gown. Perhaps it was because she was a real soon-to-be bride, but Alya was radiating.

Adrien hopped back up on the runway, and joined her. Standing poised and regal beside his pretend bride. Not that the illusion was lost on anyone. Because the crowd was gasping, moaning, and aww-ing at the two of them.

Although, they didn't get to pose for very long, because Nino had sneakily come from behind his setup and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her tightly up against him.

With his other hand, he playfully shoved Adrien aside, making the other man stumble away.

Not caring in the least of the room filled with strangers, because this wasn't at all rehearsed, Nino planted a deep kiss on Alya's surprised lips – staking his claim. And the room burst out with laughter and applause.

When their kiss finally broke, Alya's lips were parted in surprise and she was blushing.

To end the show like this was absolutely perfect. The cherry on top to a flawless and cheerful experience. And it was such a shame to call the amazing fashion show simply over.

The crowd cheered loudly for an encore. The clapping was deafening.

Candi knew that the shy designer was still hiding upstairs. So, mic in hand, she began chanting Marinette's name, and soon the crowd followed suit.

Slowly, Marinette peaked out from behind the curtain. Her face flushed with excitement at the overexcited crowd.

From where he stood, Adrien saw an expression come over her face, and then she ducked her head back behind the curtain to continue to hide.

He and Candi shared a quick look that clearly said, _'If you don't go get her, I will.'_

He smirked to himself. And decided that it needed to be him.

Leaving his spot in the crowd, the briskly walked back up the red carpeted runway towards the curtain. Pulling it back, he found her sitting huddled on the stairs, face white with nerves.

She looked up at him briefly, and her face flushed. Lips parted and breaths gasping.

Her reaction was so genuine that it warmed his heart. She was scared. Scared to face the roaring crowd, even though they cheered her name. Afraid to be a giant success. It was all new to her, she wasn't sure how to handle it.

Slowly, he extended his hand towards her. "They're all waiting for you." He urged her gently.

She huffed, her voice shaking. "I-I-I c-can't."

He smiled down at her. Enamored at her unpretentious reaction to fame.

"Yes you can." He told her earnestly. "You deserve this."

She shook her head back and forth, dark curls waving around her face and turned her gaze to stare down at her shoes.

He leaned in closer, putting his face close enough to kiss her. And it was shame not to.

"Come on." He urged. "I'll be with you the whole way."

She lifted her face up at his promising words. Her eyes met his, and he felt himself gasp. Her face was so close to his. He could read every emotion in her impossibly huge and expressive eyes, which glistened in unshed tears. She looked unbelievably beautiful in her raw emotion.

"I promise." He added breathlessly.

He didn't think she would take his offered hand, so it shocked him when she did. She was shaking, so he squeezed it tightly to help calm her down. He never let go of her hand as he moved the curtain aside, and the two of them slowly walked down the runway.

Someone brought up the lights, and the room blew up with applause and whistles at her presence.

Marinette felt herself cry. She hiccupped into a shy smile that was slowly spreading across her face.

When they reached the end of the runway, Marinette was stunned by the brilliant amount of camera flashes. They weren't just from cell phones, there were actual cameras with shutter lenses clicking wildly. She stood there, gripping Adrien's hand like a lifeline, her smile growing brighter with each passing second as she stared out into the huge crowd.

The room was packed shoulder to shoulder. Everyone was on their feet, cheering. She recognized some faces, but a lot became a blur to her teary vision. Especially when she saw that a line of bodies went out the door and into a bustling crowd gathered in the street. The front window had over a dozen smiling faces crowded in the glass frame. All of them snapping pictures and video, clapping. Behind them, stood even more people straining their necks to see in or holding up their phones.

Adrien's tightening grip on her hand brought her attention back to him. He had been watching her this whole time, letting her soak it all in. She deserved all of this and more. These people had come to see her. To see her designs, and share in her success.

It suddenly dawned on him that she was wearing one of her own creations. He had to show it, and her, off. Let her be the encore.

Gently lifting her hand up, he effortlessly spun her. Letting the flair of her handmade dress delicately spin around her bare legs. That little spin was enough to make her smile widen to its full capacity.

When she finished her breathless twirl, her head was still spinning. She barely felt the sensation of his warm lips, as they pressed themselves to the back of her hand and lingered against her skin for a few precious seconds.

She gasped and clutched her chest, which contained her pounding heart.

After that lingering moment, Adrien stared longingly up at her before dropped her hand, and stepped off the runway. Joining in with the thunderous amounts of applause and cheers that surrounded them.

As more camera flashes went off, Marinette felt her skin warm with exhilaration. She soaked in the moment, basking in the limelight for the first time in her entire life. Her heart may never beat the same way ever again. The whole moment felt like a magical gift she didn't deserve.

Slowly, she turned to face that applauding crowd, finding familiar faces of friends and family. It made the moment all the more worth it.

So, with a steadying breath, she dropped into a low curtsey. Knowing that all her hard work had finally paid off.

Nino started up the music once again. And the after party kicked into high gear.

* * *

Adrien sipped on his plastic flute glass of champagne, watching Marinette from across the room. She hadn't stopped smiling the whole night. She was currently talking excitedly to a large group of people, her face glowing with joy. She kept getting interrupted with quick hugs from numerous passerby's.

From the looks of it, she was making some business connections with potential new clients. He stood back and just simply admired her enthusiasm. Perhaps he should consider offering her a job before some other fashion brand snatched her up? No, she'd never accept it. She wasn't the type to be a part of a large organization. She'd loose all of the creative freedoms that came with being an independent designer. Besides, by the looks of it, she had a good thing going here.

Suddenly realizing that she didn't have her own glass of champagne. He quickly went to remedy that situation.

He poured an extra glass and started walking in her direction, only to get abruptly stopped as Luka immediately stepped in his path. Adrien was about to say a friendly hello, but upon noticing the clearly unhappy look plastered on Luka's face, his words died.

"What the fuck was that back there?" Luka demanded bitterly, his voice low and rimmed with anger.

Adrien blinked in slight confusion. But his eyes narrowed at Luka's attitude. "What are you talking about?"

Luka scoffed. "You seem to know _exactly_ what you're doing, Agreste."

Adrien scrunched up his face, unnerved by the comment. "I have no idea what you are implying."

Luka grit his teeth, making his lip piercings stick out. "Don't act like some high and mighty hero. An idiot could see that you were all over her up there."

_'_ _Her? Was he talking about Marinette?'_ Adrien wondered.

"The kiss wasn't subtle either." Luke continued angrily.

The kiss? What kiss? He kissed her hand for crying out loud. Its not like they had made out on the runway.

Adrien shook his head, trying to maintain his composure. He did not need to justify his actions to this person who obviously was reading the situation all-wrong.

"Excuse me please." He asked, trying to push past Luka so he could go give Marinette her champagne like he had originally intended to.

"Is that for her?" Luka demanded, stepping in his way again. Sneering through clenched teeth.

"You just can't stay away, can you?"

Adrien gave him a dark, disapproving look, and decided to be tactful with his response. "Look. This is Marinette's night. Whatever you thought you saw is being taken completely out of context."

"I know what I saw." Luka persisted.

Adrien was trying to stay calm. But the anger and irritation was starting to build in the back of his throat.

"Listen, Luka. I don't want to fight with you about this. I'll remind you again: this is Mari's night. Don't do anything _stupid_ to ruin it for her."

That seemed to anger Luka more. He snatched the champagne glass out of Adrien's hand. In order not drop it and have it go smashing all over the wood floor, Adrien gave in and let him have it.

"Stay away from Marinette." Luka warned.

Oh ho ho that struck a _big_ nerve.

Adrien stepped closer to the other man. The lines of their bodies were practically touching. He would not let that one go. Luka didn't get to decide who Marinette spent time with.

He poured as much threat into his next words as possible. "Or what?" he hissed.

Luka balled his fists, and stood ready to throw down.

A hand shot in-between their faces. Quickly diffusing the situation.

"What's going on over here?" Alya interrupted. She had changed out her stunning wedding dress into a professional polo and pencil skirt.

When either guy said nothing, but also didn't break eye contact with one another, she kept talking. Although her voice was clearly unhappy.

"You two pretty boys better knock whatever this is off right the **fuck** now before Marinette hears you." Alya warned them.

"My thoughts exactly." Adrien echoed, giving Luca a long disapproving look.

There was another long pause before Luka's jaw finally unclenched. But his face still looked beyond angry. He glared from Alya to Adrien and back again before huffing and finally backing down. He chugged the glass of champagne and placed the glass on the counter, wiping his mouth.

He pushed past Adrien, sharply bumping his shoulder accidentally-on-purpose.

"Step back Agreste." He hissed low into the other man's ear, before walking away to go stand next to Marinette.

To throw extra salt, he casually wove his arm around her waist. Drawing her possessively up against the side of his body. Which earned him a quick, shocked, side-glance from Marinette before she politely returned to her conversation.

Luka shot the blonde a snide and satisfied look that clearly read, _'See? She's clearly mine.'_

Adrien felt himself physically growl. The sound reverberated from somewhere deep in his chest.

Alya scanned Adrien suspiciously. Hearing that sound come out of him, and not quite sure what it meant as he watched Luka stake his claim on Marinette.

"I'd let it go." She cautioned him.

Adrien blinked, trying to clear his head and calm his anger. He glanced at her apologetically. However, the look on Alya's face was deathly serious. But also mixed with confusion.

He sighed heavily. Feeling defeated. He hung his head. Closing his eyes in quiet contemplation.

"What if I can't?" he admitted.

Alya shook her head slowly. Hearing what he was saying, but also needing to protect her best friend.

Woefully she put her hand on his shoulder, and, in a pleading tone, said:

"Try."

* * *

Only Alya, Nino, Leo, Adrien and Marinette sat on the floor of her store. It was late. No telling exactly what time it really was. No one dared to look. They were all too exhausted to even move. Although there was still a ton of cleaning up to do.

They were surrounded in empty champagne bottles and water glasses with bits of fruit and cucumber floating in them. The rented chairs were at least stacked up neatly in the corner. The red carpet runway had long since been walked on into shredded oblivion. Not even Marinette's DIY skills could rescue it. But it had served its purpose.

Everyone had changed clothes at some point throughout the long night. Even Leo was out of drag. He currently had silicone eye masks under each eye, with his head tilted back against the wall.

Nino and Alya were leaning against the countertop, Alya's head resting on his shoulder. Her phone forgotten on the floor beside her. Nino whispered something to her and then kissed the top of his head, making her smile.

Marinette's head was in Leo's lap, her eyes shut in exhaustion but she wasn't asleep. Adrien would have traded places with Leo in a heartbeat.

He was the only one who sat alone. And it made him feel just a little bit unwanted.

Opening her eyes, Marinette glanced around the room. "Look at this place." she exhaled sleepily. "What a mess."

"It was so fun though." Alya called back.

"Yeah." Marinette agreed, a tired smile still finding its way to her lips.

There was a long silence, filled with a lot of collective drowsy sighs.

"Babe, you're going to be rolling in money now." Leo told her, as he peeled the eye masks off of his face and tossed them into the nearby trash can.

Marinette sighed contentedly. She had a stack of business cards in her purse. The news crew from Alya's office had done a live interview with her and aired clips from the show on the eleven o'clock news. Additionally, her phone had about twenty new contacts of potential orders. Chalk it up with another fifty word of mouth promises, she couldn't help but feel extremely hopeful.

"I sure do hope so." She sighed happily.

Picking her head up, she looked around at everyone who was still in the room. "You guys don't have to stay. I can take care of what's left."

"Like hell you will." Alya told her.

"Seconded." Adrien echoed.

"Me three." Leo said, mid-yawn.

"I'll admit it… I'm tired." Nino said cynically. "Can I go home?"

Alya punched him weakly in the ribs.

A soft knock came from the front door, and Adrien got up to answer it. It was one of Leo's drag sisters. He had his car out front, ready to load up the wigs and clothes.

Slowly the rest of the group shuffled to their feet and got back to cleaning up. Alya and Marinette followed Leo upstairs, while Adrien helped Nino break down his equipment.

Looking towards the stairs, Adrien couldn't help but take the opportunity to talk to Nino about something that had been on his mind since the fashion show ended. And that rather interesting conversation with Luka.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

"Sure thing." Nino answered while coiling up an aux cord.

Glancing back again towards the stairs, to ensure that they wouldn't be interrupted or overheard, Adrien leaned in closer.

"It's about Mari… and Luka." He practically whispered.

Nino gave him a dark look. "Alya told me about your little convo after the show. Not cool man."

Adrien huffed. Yes. Yes, he knew that. He knew he had fucked up by even choosing to antagonize the other man. But now, something else was bugging him. And despite Alya's pleading warning, he just couldn't let it go.

The question burned on his tongue as he asked it. "Are they dating?"

Nino's eyes narrowed apprehensively. "Why do you want to know?"

Adrien shrugged, trying not to be obvious. "Just curious. They seem… close."

Speaking to what he'd seen: that when Luka had put his arm romantically around her, she hadn't tried to push him off.

Nino put a speaker down and snapped the hard case closed. "If you want to know, why don't you just ask Marinette?"

Adrien swallowed hard. "Come on Nino, you know how awkward that would be for me?"

"Only about as awkward as this convo is for me?" Nino remarked dryly. He was too tired to sugar coat his words.

Adrien opened his mouth to protest, but then shut it. Coming to the dramatic realization that Nino was absolutely correct. And he suddenly felt like a giant ass. And a terrible friend.

"Sorry. You're right." And yet, he just couldn't let it go. "I just… Can't help feeling like I'm caught up in something…?"

Nino stood up, crossing his arms defensively. "Bro, are you being fucking serious right now? Do you have any idea how long…?"

He instantly froze up. Letting the next words die on his tongue. With his fatigue riddled brain, he had almost fully fucked up, and gave away a secret that Marinette had had since high school.

In order to cover his ass, he had to give in a little bit truth.

"Yes, the two of them have a history. It's… messy…" he admitted, hoping against all hopes that Adrien wouldn't push it further.

But, of course, Adrien couldn't let it end there. Confused, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Messy? Messy how?" he asked.

Oh god, Nino couldn't say it. Even though he wanted to scream it at his oblivious friend.

' _Messy because when Luka first asked her out, she was still pining after you!'_

Nino took in a deep, steadying breath. "Look, truth, Marinette's my girl's best friend. And in fear of my own life, because Alya will literally strangle me by my own balls, I really think you should talk to Marinette about her and Luka."

Adrien hated to hear it said that way, but, for Nino's sake, he decided to drop it.

Together, they finished packing up Nino's equipment just as everyone else was coming downstairs. Their arms overflowing with garment bags, hat boxes, and storage containers filled with makeup and hair products.

Everything was stacked up and wedged into the awaiting vehicles.

Upon double confirmation that he didn't need to stay any longer, Leo gave Marinette the biggest of hugs before squeezing into his friend's car.

"Don't become all famous and forget your promise to me!" he called out from the open car window. "Talent like mine is just not fit to be a nameless barista forever."

Marinette nodded emphatically. "You'll be my first employee, Leo. Promise."

Alya and Nino were the next ones to bail. Only after they helped take out about dozen bags of trash filled with the used cups, and empty bottles. Everyone exchanged long hugs and what felt like a hundred thank yous.

Marinette stood on the street waving goodbye as their old rust-bucket car pulled away. She sighed happily, turned, and headed back inside. Only to discover Adrien with his sleeves rolled up and sweeping.

"Adrien." She cried. "Leave it. I'll take care of the rest in the morning."

He stopped and leaned against the wooden handle. "I really don't mind." He offered.

"I know, but still…" she protested. "You've done too much already."

He smiled gently, but ignored her and defiantly kept sweeping.

Marinette was too tired to fight with him over something as silly as sweeping. She appreciated how late he was staying.

Hell, Luka hadn't even stayed to help out. And after he'd gone out of his way to show some public displays of affection towards her tonight. The whole situation had been weird, and left her feeling completely confused. But her brain was too tired to put the pieces together right now.

Pushing Luka to the back of her mind, she busied herself by collecting the leftover fruit into a container and tucked it into her mini-fridge. It was enough for several days worth of fruit salad. Which she was sort of excited about.

She piled the rest of the dishes by the bathroom door. Those could definitely wait until morning.

Walking back into the larger room, she found Adrien standing with his hands in his pockets, having finished his sweeping.

"Thank you for staying." She called over to him.

He nodded, and flashed her a small smile. Because his mind was buzzing with questions about her about Luka. But he couldn't ask her about that tonight. They were both nearly dead on their feet.

She yawned deeply, not bothering to cover it up. "Sorry to sound rude, but I don't think I'm going to be conscious for too much longer." She teased.

He chuckled at her honesty. "Yeah, I'm about to turn into a pumpkin myself." He agreed.

Slowly adding, "You did amazing tonight, Mari."

She smiled at his compliment. "Yeah… I mean… so did you too. I mean… you did… ugh… sorry... My brain's asleep." She tried to laugh it off.

"I'll let you get some rest then." He walked towards the front door, and she followed closely behind him to lock up after he left. He bent down to pick up his overnight bag, which had been brought from upstairs, and put by the door so he wouldn't forget it.

"Have a good night, Adrien." She told him, as she held the door propped open with her foot as he walked through.

He paused in the doorway, turning around to gaze back at her. There was something about the look on his face that made Marinette pause. Her heart was suddenly beating faster. The last bits of her adrenaline suddenly pumping through her veins.

"You okay?" She whispered. Wait, why was she whispering?

He leaned down, and she froze. But his face traveled past hers, and his lips only kissing her cheek softly.

He smiled at her wide, shocked eyes as he leaned away. "Definitely." He hummed in response.

She swallowed down her thundering pulse. It didn't matter how many years had passed, she still held a candle for this man. Although, in this present moment, it was more like a fire.

"Adrien…?" she breathed.

"Hmm…?" he purred.

She held her breath for a long moment. So when she finally spoke, she was slightly gasping. "Do you… you have a car coming?"

"I've called a cab." He answered, hoarsely. The way she spoke to him with that breathy tone made every hair on his body stand up.

She nodded slowly. Grazing her teeth over her bottom lip.

Adrien was about to melt. Why was she drawing so much attention to her lips? Wait, why was he noticing?

Marinette broke his gaze, looking away. It helped make the moment between them less intense.

"T-Thank you." She whispered, her voice incredibly soft. "You have no idea how much I appreciate what you did tonight. Helping to plan this thing. Modeling for me. Hell, coming up with the fashion show idea in the first place. I could never have done this without you..."

Adrien let out a throaty chuckle. "I'm sure you would have thought of something."

She shook her head back and forth, still not looking directly at him because of the want he would undoubtedly see in her eyes.

"No. No, I wouldn't have. I really thought I was going to lose this place."

He opened his mouth to say something, but Marinette kept talking. "But you believed in me. And you inspired me. You gave me… hope."

Adrien physically retrained himself from closing the gap between them. To at least hug her for her saying such sweet words about him.

And that thought shook him. Was it just this tender moment, or… something else? Some budding feelings towards her that he didn't want to admit to himself?

"You give me too much credit." He purred back.

"I didn't give you enough credit." She argued stubbornly. "I owe you… I owe you big time."

He smirked, lost in the moment, and reverted to his inner Chat Noir. "So… make it up to me."

Her head snapped up in his direction so fast that it made his smile brighten, because she looked ready to slap him. Her lips twisted into a sassy pout as her eyes narrowed.

"Kidding! Totally kidding!" he backpedaled.

Her mouth formed a little 'o' in surprise as she pushed a finger into his chest, poking him roughly with every word she spoke.

"You. Are. A. Mess. Adrien. Agreste."

"Hey, that kinda rhymes." He fired back, a mischievous tone in his voice as he teased her.

Marinette laughed out loud. Leaning against the door because her knees were weak.

A sound of an approaching car made them both turn and look. It, unfortunately, was the cab he had called to take him back home.

He took a few steps forward, waving to the cabbie before turning back to the woman standing in the doorway.

"Text me when you wake up, ok? Let's grab lunch together."

She nodded, yawning. Too tired to read into what he was saying. "It might be more like an early dinner. I'm probably going to sleep for like ten solid hours after tonight."

"That works too." He smiled, matching her yawn.

"Go on." Marinette teased him. "Go get some rest."

Adrien gave her a quick salute-like wave. Before stepping off the front stoop, out onto the street, and walking towards the cab.

Sitting in the back of the quiet cab, he could clearly still see her through the large front window as she moved around inside. And, as his cab started to move away, the lights went out, cancelling his view.

A feeling crept up his spine.

"Wait." He told the cab driver. That single word shocked him even as it left his lips.

The cab skidded to a squeaky stop. And the cab driver turned around to stare at him questioningly.

Adrien craned his neck in order to peer back at her building. Something in his heart telling him to go back. That there were things left unsaid. He wasn't sure what they were. Maybe he'd figure them out if he saw her face again.

However, the reasonable part of his brain kicked in. Especially when he saw that the clock on the dash of the cab was flashing 3:37AM.

"Sorry, never mind." He told the driver, leaning back hard against the stiff seat.

And the cab rolled away.

* * *

**Author's Note: Next chapter, the gloves come off... that's all I'm sayin'. :D**

**Thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Okay, I know I said that the gloves would come off. But... well, I need another chapter between now and then. Cause... reasons...**

* * *

\- Chapter 11 -

"Marinette!" Tikki called down to her sleeping chosen. Her little wings buzzing as she flitted around, pushing a constant stream of warm air into Marinette's face.

Marinette leaned up, reaching sleepily for her phone to check the time. A lock of curled hair fell into her face. She hadn't washed it after last night, opting to simply collapse into bed.

Bright sunlight streamed in through her little window. A beautiful morning, after an even more wonderful evening. She could have stayed in bed a simply bask in the feeling.

"The movers are here to pick up the chairs you rented." Tikki told her.

Abandoning her phone, Marinette sat up immediately. She jumped out of bed, hearing loud knocking at her front door. The company would charge her for another day if she didn't give up the chairs.

Despite being dressed in only an oversized t-shirt and sleep shorts, she headed down the stairs and towards the front door. Greeting the two men who stood patiently on her stoop.

While the movers collected their chairs, Marinette started up her coffee pot and opened the Tupperware container of leftover fruit.

Leaning against the counter, she glanced around her little space. There was a lot of work to be done today in order to transform it back into an actual shop. Hard to believe that her big fashion show had only been just last night.

But as the smell of freshly brewing coffee reached her nose, the smell itself left her feeling confident.

Besides, depending on how much she got done this morning, she had a lunch date to keep.

* * *

Across town, and at about the same time, another kwami was attempting to get his Chosen to get out of bed.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Plagg bounced on Adrien's pillow, jostling his head and neck like he was on a ship out at sea. How a tiny, kwami was able to generate that much force was an utter mystery.

But, despite Plagg's shakes and constant screeches, Adrien simply rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

Plagg huffed and grabbed Adrien's phone, which was currently vibrating like mad with an incoming phone call, and had been doing so for the better part of an hour.

Plagg threw the vibrating phone at him.

As his own phone struck him in the nose, Adrien calmly caught it and slowly sat up, letting the silk sheets pool in his lap like water as he brushed Plagg aside. This kind of wake up call certainly wasn't unusual for the kwami. But Adrien's still half asleep brain wasn't ready to greet the morning just yet.

Acknowledging the vibrating phone in his hand, Adrien stared blankly at the number of missed calls - which were in the dozens.

The kwami flew towards him, and then repeatedly began kicked him in the forehead.

"Code Red, kid. Code Red! I repeat: Incoming!"

Adrien looked up and questionably scowled at the kwami who immediately flew away to hide.

The sudden sound of keys in a lock, followed by the clicking of the deadbolt, and then the opening of his front door sent a jolt of adrenaline through his body. He leaped out of bed, pillows and bedding scattering in all directions.

He made it to the loft railing just as the sound of high-heeled shoes got louder and entered his home. Peering down over the metal railing, he caught the smell of her perfume even before he saw her. She was dripping in head to toe Gucci, and her blonde hair looked longer in its curly ponytail, like she had added extra extensions.

"Adri-kins!" Her voice was incredibly high pitched and echoed off of the vaulted ceiling.

Chloe set her designer bag down on the kitchen island. Digging out her phone as she called out again.

"Darling? You cannot still be sleeping?" She called.

"Chloe?" he responded questioningly.

Her phone made a noise, so she checked it and scrolled through the message before responding.

Chloe giggled. "Who else would it be?" she called flippantly, seeing him leaning against the upstairs railing and staring down at her with his bed-head and naked upper body. She had been right to surprise him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I thought we'd go get breakfast together. But, considering the hour, brunch might be more appropriate…"

Okay, that was all fine. But that wasn't what he meant.

"I meant…" He clarified. "… how did you get in?"

Chloe flicked her hair over her shoulder and waved her hand dismissively. "It was no easy feat, I assure you. You're doorman has no respect. I mean, honestly, doesn't he read? We've been together for…"

"Charlie let you in?" Adrien interrupted, genuine surprise in his voice.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Only after I was _forced_ to call his manager. I spent nearly fifteen minutes on the phone having to convince them _who I was_. Can you believe it? I mean, it was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous."

Adrien pushed away from the railing, trying to keep his face neutral as he went into the bathroom to fetch a robe off the hook on the door. He would have to apologize to Charlie later.

He could hear Chloe's voice echoing from downstairs as she continued to talk. "But thanks to my persuasive skills, I have a key now. So this should not be happening again. Didn't you tell them about me? Or did you forget?"

Adrien found Plagg hiding in the bathroom sink, his paws stuffed into his ears to block out the sound of her voice. "Tell me when she's gone." He muttered.

Adrien smirked slightly, secured his robe and headed back through his bedroom and downstairs.

Approaching Chloe and holding out his hand, he said sternly. "Give me the key please Chloe."

Her heavily eye-shadowed eyes went wide. "Excuse me?"

"I don't feel comfortable with you having a key to my place."

She gasped dramatically. "Why not? Don't you trust me?"

"It's not about trust Chloe. Its about boundaries."

"Boundaries? Are you _seriously_ scolding _me_ about boundaries?

Adrien shook his head, feeling a bit of irritation creeping up the back of his neck. "I'm not scolding you. I merely asking you to respect my privacy."

Chloe rolled her eyes and moved towards her purse, presumably to fetch the key. "Why?" she asked bitterly, making her voice go soft and weepy. "So you can continue to hide things from me? And force me to lie for you?"

"Hide what? What are you talking about?" he asked, completely confused but hearing the sudden sad tone in her voice.

Chloe picked up her phone. Unlocking the screen and opening up a series of pictures she already had prepared.

Twisting around, she shoved her phone in his face. "How about _this_?" she reprimanded him. Dragging her thumb along the screen so that it flipped to the next photo.

He didn't need to look long to realize what she was showing him. They were all photos from Marinette's fashion show. Mostly photos of him walking down the small runway. Then photos of the two of them together standing together at the end of the show.

Honestly, they were great photos. Marinette's designs looked awesome. Everyone was smiling and having such a wonderful time.

He felt himself smile, remembering the night as if it was only yesterday. In fact, it was. He'd love to do it all over again.

Chloe saw his reaction, so she snatched her phone away in irritation.

"Well, clearly you don't seem to care about me or the hell I've had to go through so you could play dress up with your old classmates…" She huffed.

His smile fell. "What are you talking about?"

"A simple heads up would have sufficed." She kept talking. Ignoring his question.

"Chloe…" he protested.

She flipped through the photos, finding one of him kissing Marinette's hand and scowling as she quickly scrolled past it.

"And here I thought you were working late so that we could go away together next weekend…" She laid on the guilt.

Adrien saw through her act. "Stop, enough with the games…"

Her cold eyes flicked up to him. Glaring at him with such intensity that they might as well shoot lasers out of them. Her glossy lips pulled back into a sneer and she took in a weak breath before firing off on a long winded rant.

"I should say the same thing to you. We're _supposed_ to be dating. You and I. I'm _supposed_ to know what's going on in your life. But then you go and pull a stunt like this. And what am I supposed to say when _your Father_ calls me asking why Adrien Agreste is being photographed wearing some other designer's clothes, and walking in a tacky runway show clearly unbothered by his company's reputation?"

Adrien felt like she had just slapped him repeatedly across the face. His cheeks were burning with the aftershocks. He opened his mouth to speak, but ended up closing it. Because he wasn't sure whether to be angry, scared, or dumbfounded.

Chloe narrowed her eyes and tried not to smirk as her words were clearly having an effect on him. Instead, she took the moment to relish in the fact that his robe wasn't secured tight enough and she a nice view of his stomach and abs.

Boldly, she reached out and touched that line of warm skin. Dragging her pointy nails across his bare skin. Hoping to see more of him like this come next weekend. While they shared a seaside room together on the Côte d'Azur – where, at long last, he will ultimately fall for her.

"Not to worry though, darling. Naturally, I covered for you. I simply told your father that it was a last minute _charity_ event."

Her hand roamed upwards until it rested on the side of his neck, fingers hovering over his fluttering pulse.

"And, of course, coming from me, he bought the little story." Her hand fell away as she slid up the front of his body, putting her cheek against his chest.

Her voice went pouty now. "But still, you can't do things like that and not tell me."

Adrien stood immobile, his mind too busy swirling with thoughts and feelings. Trying to decide where he wanted to be. And mildly conscious of the fact that Chloe was touching him so casually.

Chloe sucked on her tongue because he made no move to touch her – even though she thought she was being quite enticing. Either way, she knew she'd break him of this stoic gentlemen come next weekend.

"I do so hate it when we fight like this, my Adri-kins." She petted the plush fabric of the robe.

She picked her head up, and stared up at him, because he hadn't moved or said anything. Although, her makeup had left behind residue that stained the white robe, so she quickly attempted to wipe it away.

Which only spread the stain more. So, in an attempt to hide it, she went for the knot at his waist and began shrugging the robe off of his shoulders.

"Come now, go get dressed. Let's go have a nice meal and forget this ever happened, hmm?"

He continued to say nothing. Only staring blankly ahead. Fixated on a singular point on the far wall, and trying not to loose his nerve. Because he still wasn't sure how he felt.

"Adrien?" Chloe pushed, wanting some soft of an acknowledgement.

"Hmm?" He finally responded. Even though his voice was so distant, he might as well be talking to her long-distance.

"Are you even listening to me?" she huffed, irritation gathering in her voice.

He nodded slowly, green eyes now looking down at her.

She smiled at his glaze, and leaned up to kiss him. At the last moment, Adrien turned his head away and gently pushed her away.

"I'll go get dressed." He muttered, letting her go, and turning around to walk towards the stairs.

Licking her lips smugly, Chloe watched him leave. Feeling good about her chances next weekend. He seemed to already have to hold himself back around her.

"Okay darling." She called happily, sitting down daintily on his couch and crossing her legs. She opened her phone, eyes scrolling back through the pictures she had looked at about a hundred times.

Shaking her head slightly, she voiced her opinions. "I felt so bad for you. Those outfits were the absolute worst. So tasteless and bland. What a charity event indeed."

Adrien was half way up the stairs, and stopped.

"And then having to share the stage with a bunch of tacky drag queens. I mean, honestly, how low-class can she get? Some people have no taste." Chloe chuckled to herself, scrolling through her phone.

Adrien felt his chest tighten up. Whatever had previously held him back, suddenly snapped. The mixed emotions formed into firm resolve. He was instantly on the defensive. Because Marinette deserved to have her designs defended.

"You're wrong." He said aloud, liking the way it sounded leaving his lips.

Chloe's head snapped up from her phone. "What?"

"You're wrong." He repeated, louder this time.

"Excuse me?"

Adrien started coming down the steps, walking towards Chloe with determination in every stride.

"Her designs were beautiful. Some of the best I've seen, and that I've had the pleasure to wear. If she didn't have her own business, I'd hire her immediately to come work for me."

Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Well, even blind squirrels can manage to find a few nuts, I guess."

Adrien's eyes narrowed. "You can't mean that?"

Chloe uncrossed her legs and sat up straighter. "I've personally seen that woman dig through dumpsters outside of my hotel. Pathetically scrounging away for someone else's scraps. It's bad enough I was forced to attend school with such insignificant and lowly commoners like her. But now, my own boyfriend seems to be defending her?"

"I'm not your boyfriend Chloe." Adrien told her. Because, in this moment, he couldn't stand being connected to someone who spoke so horribly about his friend.

She smirked and gestured in the air as if his comment was irrelevant. "The tabloids would say otherwise."

Adrien took a step forward, "Then I'll tell them that we broke up."

Her face dropped in horror. "You… You wouldn't dare."

"This has all been a lie from day one, Chloe. You knew this wasn't real." He said, feeling determination grow in his belly.

"Adrien!" she whined, standing up and coming towards him. "You can't mean that."

"Every word." He told her, moving away to keep some space between them. "Now give me my key, and leave."

"Adrien!" she whined. "What has gotten into you? We were fine just a minute ago! You can't just shut me out like this."

"My key, Chloe." He repeated himself, as he picked her purse up off the counter and handed it to her.

Chloe took her purse but didn't start digging for the key. Her eyes welled up with fake tears.

"Why are you doing this to me? How can you be so selfish? What about my image? If you tell them we broke up, I'll be the laughing stock of Paris."

"You should know me better than that Chloe. I won't tarnish your name. I'll tell them that the breakup will be mutual. You won't…"

"But it's not fair!" she wailed loudly. This wasn't supposed to happen like this. He was supposed to be hers. That was the plan.

Adrien blinked at her, surprised by her sudden outburst. The lines of his face growing deathly serious. She was right, it wasn't fair. But he was so tired of having his decisions made for him.

Seeing that he was serious, Chloe began digging around in her purse for the key. Gripping it in her hand, she threw it across the room in a bratty tantrum. It bounced off the wall and landed somewhere, but Adrien didn't care where it was, so long as she didn't have it anymore.

Chloe stared at him. Her icy blue eyes almost piercing with their glare. She was out for spite now.

"I'm telling my father about this. No… No, I'm telling _your_ Father about this." She told him.

Adrien gestured towards the door. Saying without words that she needed to leave.

"I don't care." He answered her point blank. And the realization that he truly didn't care felt so good, that he smiled.

Chloe huffed and walked towards the door, sniffing back her fake tears. "What do I tell Charles about the interview next weekend in Cannes? I've had this booked for weeks. We can't just cancel on him. What will people think? What will happen if…?"

"I don't care." Adrien repeated, opening the front door for her.

Chloe stood in the hallway. Still in complete disbelief that he was doing this.

"You're making a huge mistake, Adrien." She warned him.

He shrugged casually and opened the door wider. "Have a good day." In a tone as plain and casual like he was ending a conference call.

She took a step forward, but hovered in the doorway. Glancing over her shoulder, she gave him one longing glance. Fluttering her eyelashes to gain last points of sympathy.

"Last chance." She spoke up.

Adrien said nothing. But he did not push her any further. She would have to leave on her own will. And he was man enough to stand there and take whatever venom she choose to spit at him to make herself feel better.

Snapping her head forward, Chloe slung her designer purse over her shoulder and smoothed down her Gucci dress. Rolling her shoulders back, she regained all of her high-class haughty mannerisms.

In a soft but stern voice, she chose to remind him of one last thing.

"All those kids we went to school with… They are nothing, Adrien. They were nothing then, and will continue to be nothing now. And you'll become just like them if you continue down this path."

Adrien's smiled brightly and he watched with gleeful satisfaction as Chloe's face twisted with confusion.

"So be it." He chuckled. "I like them better anyway."

With one last harrumph, Chloe sauntered down the hall and towards the elevator. And Adrien happily closed the door behind her.

Plagg flew down from upstairs. Humming and singing a particular song from the Wizard of Oz as he deposited Chloe's key that he'd found into Adrien's hand.

Adrien laughed at the rambunctious little kwami, rubbing the top of his cat-like head.

"Smack me next time before I do something stupid like that again." He told Plagg.

"Kid, I'd never stop hitting you." Plagg teased and then quickly dodged Adrien's swiping hand.

In good spirits, Adrien went back upstairs to take a shower, and finally start his day, remembering his promise to meet Marinette for lunch. By the time he finished showing, and stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in nothing but a fluffy towel, Plagg immediately flew up into his face holding his phone up so Adrien could see who was calling.

He sighed heavily. "Well, that didn't take long."

He accepted the ringing phone and answered.

"Hello Father."

* * *

Marinette was unpacking and re-folding a few shirts before setting them neatly on the shelf according to their size.

Her phone was tucked into the butt pocket of her jeans, only because it hadn't stopped ringing and she was afraid she would miss a call from a potential new client.

At one point, she was forced to stop and hunt down a notepad to begin properly writing down people's names and contact information so she could call them back and get the full details of their orders. Her voice was incredibly high pitched as she spoke. She must have told each caller 'thank you' about a hundred times.

Maybe she needed Leo sooner rather than later? She sent him a quick text seeing if he was able to come by.

Although, this was almost to be expected. Checking her social media pages earlier this morning had caused her spit her coffee all over herself. The amount of views and follows just didn't seem real. She kept re-counting the digits, basic math escaping her bewildered brain. Realizing that the numbers weren't just in the thousands. No, they were in the tens of thousands.

Cheerful and full of self-satisfaction, she'd taken the world's fastest shower and began working non-stop to put things back together, get organized and back to business.

In the meantime, customers knocked on her door, wanting to come in. She let everyone in and apologized that she didn't have too much set up yet. Everyone was completely understanding and promised to come back.

One particular woman had specifically asked about the skirt that Juleka had been wearing in the show. Saying that she just "had to have it." Marinette hadn't exactly worked out the pricing on each the items from the show. So, she just casually threw out an outlandish and lavish number, and the woman paid it without batting an eye.

Trying not to get overly giddy and excited, Marinette carefully took the woman's measurements and asked to be given two weeks for production.

It was so hard to maintain her professionalism when she wanted to jump for joy, cry and hug the woman all at the same time.

Another half an hour later, a group of guys who were friends of Craig came in just to "look around". Marinette still didn't have all her items out on displays just yet, but the guys actually sat on the floor and poked through the basket containing scarves, bandanas and beanies.

Each of them found something that they liked and paid her in cash.

She had no clue what time it actually was. She kept bouncing excitedly from one task to another. She was currently clipped a skirt on a hanger as her phone vibrated against her butt.

**(Adrien):** _We still on for lunch?_

**(Marinette):** _OMG. I'm so sorry. I actually don't think I can. The shop is so busy today. I'm getting customers left and right. It's so amazing!_

**(Adrien):** _No worries. That's awesome. Congrats._

**(Marinette):** _I still owe you lunch though. Actually… I probably owe you like a thousand lunches lol. Rain check?_

He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed when reading her text. Although, he was also incredibly happy for her. Still, he could practically picture Marinette bouncing around her shop, and completely forgetting to eat.

So, with that thought, Adrien decided to be spontaneous.

It came as quite a shock to Marinette when he showed up at her front door, bringing with him some sandwiches from an awesome deli that Charlie had recommended. He was dressed in jeans and a shot sleeved polo. Looking so comfy casual that she didn't feel at all underdressed in her pink jeans, tank top and short cardigan.

Okay, now she owed him a thousand-and-one lunches.

Still, his kindness obligated her to actually stop and take a break. To which, she was extremely grateful. The food gave her renewed strength. And she practically inhaled her sandwich, proceeding to get spicy mustard on her cheek. That Adrien politely wiped away with a napkin.

They stood across from one another, leaning on the counter eating, talking and laughing as Marinette excitedly told him all about her day. Completely in awe about the number of sales she was getting.

Adrien gave her some careful business pointers. Like how she should require a deposit on any order taken over the phone – to ensure that she wouldn't be stuck if someone backed out of a deal. Marinette soaked up his pointers like a sponge. Thanking him repeatedly.

And, of course, Leo walked in just as they were finishing up.

"Do you like… live here now, sunshine?" he teased as he pushed the door open. Chuckling to himself at his own little joke because he knew it would make Marinette blush like crazy.

Adrien shot Marinette a careful look and she slowly nodded her head.

"Actually…" Adrien answered back, calmly sipping from his drink. "…I never left."

Leo stopped functioning, screamed and nearly fainted. He caught himself by leaning against the wall.

"WHAT!?"

Marinette's laugh escaped and she quickly tried to cover it up with a short cough.

"Is it… Oh my god… Is this… Are you two serious!?" Leo gagged, trying to get back on his own feet.

Marinette smacked Adrien on the arm, and he grabbed ahold of the spot because it actually stung a bit where she'd hit him.

"Don't tease." She scolded. "His pour little heart can't take it."

But then she clearly winked at him as she gathered up the sandwich wrappers and walked a ways away to toss them into the trash.

"Wait, is it? Is that a no? Or a yes? What's happening?" Leo insisted, rushing forward and looking at both of them with wild crazy eyes as he fished desperately for information.

Joining in the obvious fun and playing along perfectly, Adrien stood up and stretched.

"Well, I better get going." Adrien called over his shoulder casually. Keeping his voice neutral and trying not to smile.

"Go?!" Leo wailed. "Wait. Hold up…"

"Thanks for lunch." Marinette answered back, keeping her voice as calm as his. Because Leo was clearly about to explode.

"Wait. No. You can't just leave. I thought… What in the mother of all RuPaul is going on here?"

Adrien walked towards the door. "See you later Marinette."

"Bye now!" she called back happily.

"Oh my god. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. The both of you. You can't do this to me!" Leo cried out, gesturing wildly in the air.

Adrien made it to the door, turned around and nonchalantly waved. "Nice seeing you again Leo."

The other man was physically shaking. His face almost purple with glee.

"Oh, and Marinette?" He called. And when she turned to face him, making sure Leo was still watching, he blew her a kiss. Blowing it dramatically across his open hand in her direction.

Across the room, Marinette caught it and, with a sly smile, slipped it into her pocket.

And Leo lost his damn mind.

* * *

After Adrien did leave, it took Marinette about ten solid minutes to calm Leo down. To which, he proceeded to repeatedly say:

"You two are never allowed to date. Like ever. You're the absolute worst. Plotting against me like that. I swear to god. I'm literally dying. You've killed me. My heart. Oh lawd…" As he sat slumped on her stool, dramatically fanning himself.

Marinette chuckling the whole time as she set up her dress form up in the front window and pinned Alya's wedding dress to it.

She had to admit, Adrien had done some remarkable quick thinking. It was like he was perfectly in sync with her as soon as Leo had walked through the door. They had played off of one other almost perfectly.

When had this happened? What changed? When had she gone from being a stuttering, uncontrollable mess around him, to now feeling so completely calm?

"Quit looking so damn pleased with yourself." Leo scolded her, while also noticing the way her eyes got all glossy and her lips curved into the sweetest of smiles – which only happened when she was thinking about him.

* * *

The workweek went by agonizingly slow. Maybe not for Marinette, but Adrien was feeling the pressure. Maybe because his Father was now watching him like a hawk? Overseeing every meeting on his calendar and wanting to be de-briefed after every conference call.

Ever since his "breakup" with Chloe, the older man had taken on a sharper, more direct tone with Adrien. Thinking that his son wasn't taking things seriously, because he didn't want to settle down into a relationship in order to make a more presentable appearance.

It had been a painful conversation, but Adrien had finally ben allowed to hang up, the mutual understanding was that he wanted to focus on work and the company. For now, his Father bought into it. Hence the increased invested interest in Adrien's dealings around the office.

So, as Friday night rolled around, Adrien was cooped up in his home office. Pouring himself into his work in order to prove his point.

His phone rang, making him physically jump. He had been completely engrossed by the budget spreadsheets on his computer. Besides, it was after eleven at night. Very few people stayed up as late as him.

Looking down, he saw the name and smiled. Well, very few, but her. Swiping the screen, he answered it on speakerphone so he could keep working

"Hey Marinette." He said happily, continuing to scroll through the spreadsheet.

A huge influx of background noise poured from the speaker. What sounded like thumping electronic base and rattling drum beats, all mixed with shouts and stomping of feet.

He stared at his phone. Had she pocket dialed him from a concert or something?

"Marinette?" he called.

"Adrien?" came a female voice through the speaker. A voice that was definitely not Marinette's.

He snatched up his phone from where it sat on his desk, suddenly forgetting all about the spreadsheets.

"Adrien?" The female voice repeated through the noise. "Adrien it's… R-Rose…"

He felt a pinch of dread bite him in the chest. Why would Rose be calling him from Marinette's phone?

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice growing in panic because he could hear it in her voice. And his inner Chat Noir was suddenly on edge.

"… Sorry, you were… last person… she called..." Rose said, but the rest of her words were lost to the pounding background noise.

"Rose?" Adrien called. Tapping on the screen to be sure that their call was still connected.

She didn't answer. But there was some shuffling and muffled voices.

"Rose?" he called out again.

"… Who… you… talking to?" someone yelled in the background.

"Rose!?" He yelled into the phone.

There was nothing for a long time. Adrien watched as the seconds ticked by on the phone call. His heart was racing. He kept trying to listen for any discernable noises or voices. But there was nothing. And it was unnerving.

When Rose's tiny voice came back over the phone, she sounded scared.

"… Can you come get her?"

* * *

**Author's Note Part 2: IswearthatI'mworkingonthenextchapterpleasedon'thatemeokaythanksbye!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: See? Didn't have to wait long at all, now did we? ;D I know, I know. I'm evil. But hopefully ya'll will love me again** **_real_ ** **soon.**

**Oh... and before I forget. This chapter contains descriptions of mild violence... and sex.**

* * *

\- Chapter 12 -

Adrien pushed back his chair, standing up quickly.

"Is she okay?" he asked feeling suddenly panicked.

"She's… pretty messed up." Rose answered him awkwardly.

Adrien felt his stomach drop. "What happened?"

The background faded in and out, like Rose was moving as she talked.

"There was kinda a thing between her… and Luka…"

He paused. Seething anger having now replaced the initial panic. He knew he didn't like that guy. If he so much as touched her, let alone hurt her, oh there would be hell to pay. He'd kick his ass as Chat Noir, he didn't care what the consequences were.

"Did he…?" he started to prepare himself for the worst.

Rose jumped in. Her voice going all high-pitched with her apology. "Oh. Sorry. She's fine." She took a breath, letting her voice calm down.

The background noise was muffled now and Adrien could hear her more clearly. She had managed make it outside of the noisy venue, and away from all the prying ears. Standing near the backdoor, she could finally say what she wanted to say.

"Luka's just being a complete and total dickhead... If you can believe it, he kissed some random girl while up on stage trying to make Mari jealous." Her irritation faded away and she got back to the reason why she called.

"And… well… I guess it worked. She's kinda been drinking to forget ever since…"

Well, something like that would make him want to drink too. Adrien grabbed a jacket out of the hall closet. The weather was entirely too warm for the jacket, but he needed to try and be as inconspicuous as possible. He started unlocking the door.

"I don't think she should stay here. But Luka also doesn't want her to leave… But, I just... I'm worried…"

Oh he was for sure going to get her the hell out of there.

"I appreciate you calling me Rose. Tell me where you are. I'm on my way."

A glass shattered in the background. Adrien could distinctly hear it through the phone.

"The Black Lion pub." She told him.

He'd never heard of it, but that is what the internet was for. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thanks." And she hung up.

He got into the elevator and did a bit of googling, finding the place easily enough. By the pictures, it looked like a dive bar with a decent sized concert venue attached. Kind of a run down/indie sort of place, but it made sense why she was there with Luka. He must be playing a show there.

He opted to take a cab, tipping the driver ahead of time to get there as quickly as possible.

When he finally arrived, there was a large crowd of people standing outside, presumably waiting to get in. Another smaller group was lounging up on the second story balcony. All either vapeing or smoking while keeping a watchful eye on who was coming and going. Even from way out on the street, the building faintly thumped with loud music pouring out from inside.

Adrien kindly asked the cab driver if he wouldn't mind hanging around for a few minutes, adding that he could leave the meter running the entire time. The cabbie leaned back in his seat, perfectly okay with that arrangement.

Pulling the collar of his jacket up as high as it would go, he exited the cab and walked confidently towards the entrance. The trio of tattooed bouncers eyed him suspiciously. Adrien certainly didn't fit the mold of people lining up to get in.

But Adrien knew how to play this game, and already had a wad of cash in hand. With a quick, conspicuous handshake, he heavily tipped one of bouncers in order to skip the line. To which, after seeing the amount of bills, the bouncer grinned and stepped aside, letting him through without further hesitation.

Adrien walked inside, keeping his head down but his eyes up. There was barely room to move around, let alone find a quiet spot out of the way to stand. Once inside, he was instantly met with pulse pounding music coming from the side room.

The concert room was inky dark. Lit only with the flashing strobe lights and a ceiling of purple blacklights. The only way he could tell that there was a huge crowd of people packed into the space, was when the lights illuminated the various shades of glowing paint dripping from their sweaty bodies as they danced.

With the sheer volume of hot blacklights, the building had fans and air conditioning blasting from almost every angle. It was like being inside of a painted rave tornado.

Looking around in the dim lighting, his eyes searched along the crowded bar. Hoping to see her. But not seeing anything beyond the dark crowd of bodies pushing to get drinks. There was a girl dancing on top of the bar, her hot pink hair glowing in the blacklights.

Definitely not Marinette. Not because of the hair, but because she was in a push up bra, thong, and nothing else. The smearing of colorful glowing bodypaint being used as the rest of her "clothes".

He felt a small hand grip onto his elbow and, looked down, found the ever wide-eyed Rose staring up at him. The last time he'd seen her was at Marinette's fashion show, looking ever much like a sweet flower child in the outfit Marinette had designed for her.

Tonight, she had on heavy eye makeup that made her look older. Her flouncy doll-like dress counteracted with the makeup. She had numerous layers of glowsticks woven into necklaces. And her blonde hair was speckled with glow-in-the-dark paint that matched the rest of the bar's esthetic.

He leaned down to her height, but still shouted loudly over the pulsing music. "Where is she?"

"In the bathroom with Juleka." She told him. "I'll go get her. Don't move."

She disappeared into a crowd of bodies. And Adrien could do nothing but stand there, obey and wait. He tried to keep his head down. Although someone was probably bound to recognize him eventually.

Besides, he was probably only one here not dressed in fishnet stockings and glowing paint. The intense blacklights made every strand of his blonde hair glow like it was being lit from within.

He was getting looks. Most of them were thirsty. The rest looked judgmental. Someone pushed past him, grabbing his ass in the process.

He didn't even flinch, and just silently hoped he could get in and out without drawing too much unwanted attention.

The next recognizable person he saw was Juleka. Her multicolored hair was a dead giveaway. The blacklights made it look exceptionally cool. But her face looked worried as she pushed through the crowd and nearly slammed into him.

"You okay?" he asked her. She nodded.

She leaned up into his ear. "My brother's not happy when he found out you were coming." She warned him.

Adrien nodded in understanding. All the more reason to find Marinette and get the hell out of here.

Speaking off, the crowd parted as Rose wove her way through the sea of people. Behind her, she was dragging a very stumbly and smiley Marinette.

She had glowing paint on the tip of her nose and streaked on her cheeks like cat whiskers. Matched with bright pink lipstick that made her lips glow neon under the lights. She looked cute. And Adrien wished they were here under better circumstances, because his inner Chat Noir was purring at her appearance.

Beyond the facepaint, she was dressed in high-waisted black leggings and a graphic tee that had been tightly knotted at her hip to reveal her midriff. A multi-colored splattering of glowing paint having found its way onto her clothes, making them appear freckled.

Adrien stepped forward as Rose let her practically fall into his arms.

She blinked up at him. Pupils dilated and very happy to see him. Or maybe that was the alcohol?

"Oh. Oh, hi." She giggled.

"Hey yourself." He smiled. Being this close to her, he could smell the alcohol on her.

Although, he only thought about that for a brief moment, because her fingers unexpectedly began touching his face.

"Where's your paint? You gotta put paint on. It's fun!"

He chuckled. "Maybe later. Come on, let's get some air."

He tried to move her, but she resisted him. Holding onto his forearms tightly and keeping him rooted in the same spot. He could easily pick her up and throw her over his shoulder, but that didn't need to happen. At least, not yet.

"We should dance!" Marinette shouted out excitedly as if the idea was the greatest one she'd ever had.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she shh-ed him. Putting a finger against his lips.

"You can't say no." She insisted, giving him a stern but mischievous look. "We haven't danced together since forever!"

She began to sway her hips to the beat, closing her eyes as if she could feel the music. Tossing her head from side to side, making her pigtails dance along with her hips. Hoping to encourage him to join her.

She wasn't wrong. It had indeed been years since they had danced together. And while the idea made Adrien hesitate, because he would have loved to dance with her, covered like she was in glowing paint, he had to remember why he was here.

Although, that reminder abruptly began to push himself through the crowd, repeatedly calling out Marinette's name.

Adrien saw him coming and thought fast.

"Outside." He told her, pulling her towards the door. "Let's go dance outside."

Opening her eyes, Marinette smiled brightly and let him usher her away.

They made it out the door and onto the busy street. Marinette was light on her feet, skipping and twisting around him as she walked. While her antics were adorable, they weren't helping them move any quicker towards the (thank god) still awaiting cab.

"You promised me a dance!" she humorously whined when Adrien wouldn't stop walking and dance with her, despite how many times she pulled at his hand.

To appease her drunken mind, Adrien raised her hand and gracefully spun her around, to which, Marinette let out a little 'whee' noise as she twirled. He smiled at her because it was impossible not to.

"Hey!" called a rough voice from behind them.

Both Marinette and Adrien turned to see Luka standing there. Flanked by other guys that Adrien assumed were in his band. Standing together, they all looked like a ride-or-die kind of group.

Juleka had one hand on her brother's chest, pushing him back. Although it did little good, as he pushed her off of him. The anger coming off of his body in little dark wisps.

"Where the fuck do you think you're taking her?" Luka's voice grew louder, more angry.

Adrien ignored him, continuing to help Marinette walk towards the awaiting cab. Physically biting his tongue to keep his words at bay. Even though they were now being followed.

"Just couldn't stay away, could you? Had to come to her rescue, huh?" Luka mocked the other man.

And Adrien did his best to continue to disregard him. Although, Marinette wasn't having it.

"Pfft." Marinette baited him. The alcohol in her blood making her sassy and bold.

"Oh bring it on, you _dick_. You think _we're_ scared of you?"

Adrien shot her a wary look. He certainly didn't need her encouraging a fight. But she completely didn't notice his reaction.

Luka took a few large steps forward, grabbing ahold of Adrien's shoulder.

"Hey. I'm fuckin' talking to you." He bellowed.

Adrien twisted around sharply. Snapping his shoulder out of Luka's strong grip.

Luka had laid hands on him first; he had every right to strike him in self-defense. But he wasn't going to fight, not in front of Marinette. Even though she seemed pretty eager to watch.

But the other man didn't back down. Leaning forward he threateningly put his face directly into Adrien's. Close enough that Adrien could feel the heat of his breath and watch his snake bite piercings sneer.

"You like playing the hero. Admit it. It gets you off."

Adrien scowled. But held back his words. He didn't need to justify himself to Luka.

Marinette stepped forward, pointing a disappointing finger up into Luka's face. "Luka, knock it off. He's got nothing to do with this."

His gaze shifted around Adrien, to glare at Marinette. "Why the fuck is he here then? You'd rather be with him. Wouldn't you?" Luka hissed angrily at her.

He sized Adrien up from head to toe. His next words were bitter but filled with a dark truth.

"Even though he's never even given you so much as a single, passing glance."

Adrien put his arm out to block Luka's view of her. Stepping to the side to hide Marinette further behind him.

"Leave her alone." Adrien warned him darkly.

"Mr. Tough guy." Luka sassed him. "Always acting so high and mighty. Like you're better than all of us." His fingers coiled into tight fists.

Adrien said nothing. But his observant eyes noticed Luka's abrupt change in body language. He was showing all the signs of a fight. So, Adrien relaxed his body, and stood ready to defend himself.

"It's so fucking annoying!" Luka roared.

His first punch went wild, missing everything but the empty air over Adrien's shoulder as air rushed past his ear.

The second punch was more controlled, aiming for Adrien's head. Although, to him, it was still utterly sloppy and stupidly telegraphed. He easily blocked it, and took a small, strategic step backwards.

In the blink of an eye, Adrien brought his arm up and, with a loose fist, struck Luka with a quick jab in the chin. The first blow dazed him, the second brought him to the ground.

His entire jaw and neck went surprisingly numb with the hits. He managed to catch himself on his hands and knees, before he ate a face full of concrete.

Out of the corner of his eye, Adrien saw the bald guy jump forward to join in the fight. He took another step back, lowered his stance, and stood ready to defend himself and Marinette.

Although, as the guy got closer. Adrien felt Marinette move from behind him. Her face deathly serious as she stepped forward.

He had nano-seconds to call out her name. Telling her to stay behind him. And then, suddenly realizing, that she didn't need his help.

Especially not when she high kicked like a masterly trained black belt, and sunk her foot into Baldy's face. Sending him flying backwards and skidding along the ground. Stunned, he picked his head up, showcasing a smashed nose and lip, both leaking blood.

Marinette held her foot steadily in the air above her head for a few seconds, before bringing it slowly back down in front of her. Not even so much as a wobble to her perfect dancer-esque balance.

Everything and everyone froze, staring at the petite girl in disbelief of what she had just done. Wondering how she ever had it in her.

Not a soul made a move to approach them or stop them from leaving. No one dared. Even Luka, who had halfway picked himself up off of the ground, was left to simply gawk.

Her fierce eyes fell on him as he knelt there on the ground. And, in that fleeting moment, she knew it was over between them.

There would be no second or third chances. Or trying to salvage some kind of a friendship from all this. In a way, it pained her. Despite how things may have ended, it was still a loss of someone she had once liked, maybe even loved.

Marinette walked backwards towards Adrien, brushing up against him as she opened the cab's back door and scooted inside.

Adrien had never been more honored to follow her. Sliding into the cab and closing the door behind them.

The cabbie looked over his shoulder at the pair now in the back of his cab. Feeling like he should have placed a bet at how quickly that fight had started, and abruptly ended.

They didn't talk much as the cab drove off. Opting for a comfortable silence.

Although, as they paused at a red light. Marinette let out a little huff of sad air. She turned and stared longingly at Adrien.

"We never got to dance!" She told him.

He laughed out loud. Laughed so hard that it made tears wet his eyes. Okay, so he owed her a dance. That was an easy enough promise to keep.

Marinette chuckled along with him. Not seeing the humor in it as much as he did. She stared out the window, watching the Paris skyline go by.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"My place." He replied. He couldn't take the off chance that Luka might show up at hers.

Marinette's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Really?" she said suddenly incredibly excited. "I get to see where you live?"

"Don't get too excited." He teased her. "It's not that special."

She dished in right back. "Oh pfft. Yeah right. I bet it's some penthouse suite, overlooking the Seine, with gold inlaid into the ceiling or something."

He smirked. "You got two out of three correct."

She tilted her head inquisitively. "Which two?"

The cab pulled up to his building and Adrien gave her a playful wink before opening the door.

"Come find out."

Thinking it a game, Marinette's intoxicated brain got even more excited and she bounced out of the cab to follow him inside.

Once they got into the mirrored elevator, Adrien went to push the correct button for his floor, but Marinette had already pushed about ten others. Flashing him a mischievous grin as she did so. So they spent a giggly few minutes stopping on almost every other floor as they slowly made their way to the top.

Adrien opened his apartment door, holding it open for her to enter. She paused in the doorway, seeing a lovely ornate hat and umbrella holder. So, being a good houseguest, she stripped off her purse and hung it on an empty hook. Petting the bag lovingly because Tikki was inside of it, and she was so happy that Tikki was in her life.

Marinette stumbled trying to walk on her own. Dragging her shoulder against the wall to keep her balanced as she walked.

She glanced around at the apartment, her mouth hung open in obvious shock and awe.

"Wooooowwwww." She said spinning in little small circles in order to take it all in. "Holy… geez."

Adrien moved past her, taking off his jacket and draping it over the back of the couch.

"You _actually_ live _here_?" she screeched.

Adrien shrugged. "Yes, I actually live here." He parroted her.

"This looks like it could be on the cover of a magazine." She exclaimed.

"It was. _Architectural Digest_ , June issue."

She blinked at him, her face slack with astonishment. "You're joking."

He handed her a copy that was sitting on the huge coffee table along with other random books and knickknacks. She stared at the cover of the magazine, back at him, then around the apartment, then back at the cover, then back at him.

"That's you!" she exclaimed happily, pointing repeatedly at the picture on the cover. She began flipping through the pages, looking for more photos of him.

Marinette seemed to have no filter when she drank. And the silliness of her personality was dialed way up. Still, her reactions were completely pure and wholehearted that it actually made him snicker.

"Let's… get you some water, Marinette." As he walked into his kitchen to fetch a glass.

Marinette continued to wander around the massive apartment, matching photos in the magazine to what she was seeing in person. Her happy brain enthralled with the idea. It was like walking through an art gallery with a guidebook.

She started to climb the stairs to the loft space, got about three steps in and gave up because her head started spinning.

"What's upstairs?" she called over to him.

"Bedroom." He called back from the kitchen, digging into his icemaker to unstick some ice.

"Fancy." She muttered. Stumbling back down the steps and continuing her personal guided tour.

She walked towards the kitchen, abandoning her magazine on the counter as she peered down and into the glass door of the e wine chiller built into the center island.

"It's empty." She told him. In case he needed to be reminded to go buy more wine.

"I prefer to drink with company." He told her, as he slid the finished glass of ice water down towards her like he was a bartender serving a drink. The glass slid along the smooth quartz island, and Marinette's Ladybug brain caught it before it could slide off of the edge.

She swirled the crystal looking glass in her hand, admiring the prisms reflected in the water from the ice, took a shallow sip, put it down, and then slid it back towards him.

Adrien's smile brightened as he caught it once again. "It's for you." He told her.

"Oh." Marinette realized. "Well send it back down then."

He did, but this time it only made it half way across the island before stopping.

"Terrible throw." She scolded him, coming around the counter to snatch it up before walking back into his living room.

Adrien followed after her. Taking a casual seat on the couch as skipped towards one of the many windows. Moving the heavy drapes aside, she peered out of the large window.

Across the street, the Seine River glittered under the city lights. Marinette sipped her water, holding a piece of cold ice in her mouth as it melted on her tongue. She hadn't had ice in forever.

When the view finally bored her, she went back to exploring.

She kept doing little laps around the apartment, pointing out obvious things that Adrien already knew. Like how he had a rowing machine in his office. And a light bulb burned out in the chandelier in the dining room. Oh, and how many steps it took to get from one end of his apartment to the other. She told him that one quite a few times, and each time the number was different.

But she was drinking her water, so he didn't complain and let her chatter on and on with her silly, yet cute statements. Or maybe it was the fact that she still had her face painted with kitty whiskers?

Finally tiring herself out, Marinette set her empty glass on the marble coffee table and plopping down on the couch beside him.

The surprisingly plush couch molded and cocooned around her body, so insanely comfy that she moaned in genuine delight.

"It's sooooo comfy. It's like a cloud of comfy." She practically purred as she snuggling down deeper into the cushions. Her eyes fluttering closed. The couch smelled like the soft fabric, mixed with canned air freshener but, beneath that, it smelled like him.

Adrien got up, but Marinette hardly noticed. Her happy drunk brain was now shifting into a sleepy drunk brain.

She felt the couch move beside her and a clean smelling towel was pushed gently into her sleepy face.

"Don't get paint on my new couch." He teased her dryly. Truthfully, he didn't care. But offered her the towel because she might want to clean her face.

Marinette sat up begrudgingly and began to rub her face with the damp cloth. The paint came off easy, as it was designed to. Her cute cat whiskers were soon wiped away.

She stared up him. Tilting her face from side to side. "Did I get it all?" she asked him.

He pointed to his own nose. Signaling that there was more on hers. With another round of rubbing, she asked again.

Adrien pointed to his nose once more. And Marinette rubbed her nose again. Staring at the cloth to see what came off, finding nothing.

"Is it gone?" she asked.

"Almost." He said playfully, and watched with delight as she believed him, and rubbed her nose again.

"Still here." He said, wondering if he could get her to do it again.

She stared at him, starting to wonder if he was teasing her. But, because she didn't want to mess up his beautiful couch, she rubbed her nose for a third time.

"Now?" she asked, a bit of mild irritation gathering in her voice. Only because she might actually have to get up from this comfy couch and ask for a mirror to get the rest of it off.

"It was gone the first time." Adrien told her playfully, and was rewarded with the wet cloth hitting him directly in the face. Her aim was impressive.

Marinette resituated herself and let out a long, deep sigh, mere moments from letting the peaceful surrounds steal her conscious away. But her sobering mind began remembering everything about the evening. About what Luka had said. And what he'd done. She felt guilty, but also, angry. She'd gone to that that pub tonight because of the affection he'd shown her the fashion show. Thinking that they might be working towards a "them" again.

But then, he pulled that random girl up on stage. Kissing her like he was trying to find out what she ate for lunch, while she grabbed his ass. All the while knowing that Marinette was watching.

That had been… cruel. To say the least.

Marinette buried her face into the soft couch cushions. Trying to forget the images, because they only made her chest hurt. It was over. Over big time. And the realization left her feeling drained.

After a short moment, Adrien rejoined her on the couch again. He had refilled her water glass and held it out for her to drink.

Her heard her muffle a soft, quiet sob.

"Mari?" he asked sympathetically. "Are you…?"

Her head crashed against his shoulder. Finding her newest comfy spot, and silently loving it.

"Men are such jerks." She whispered, her voice heavy with fatigue.

He looked down at her. Watching as her eyes struggled to stay open.

"Not all men." He corrected gently.

But she had passed out.

* * *

Marinette jolted awake. Looking down at the unrecognizable pillow she'd just slept, and… eww drooled on.

Groaning, she sat up, the blanket around her shoulders falling into her lap. Looking around, she couldn't remember where she was. Everything was a little fuzzy.

The room was dimly lit. Warm, soft lighting from the office allowed for just enough light to see the outlines of the luxuriously contemporary furniture.

"Here." Came a gentle, but masculine voice from above her. "Drink this."

She squinted up towards the voice and, upon seeing whom it belonged to, felt an instant twang of shame strike her heart. She accepted a glass of orange looking water. Drinking a few sips, she coughed and gagged at the flavor.

"Ugh, what is this?"

"An electrolyte and vitamin powder mixed with water." The voice said again. "Best for hangovers."

She tucked the glass to her chest. "How would you know anything about hangovers?" Marinette asked him.

"I'm not a total shut in. I've partied it up before." Adrien answered.

She sucked down another sip of the horrible drink. "Hard to imagine you as the party boy type." She teased bitterly because of the taste.

Adrien let that go. He could tell her stories, but now was certainly not the time.

"How do you feel?" Adrien asked.

She nodded slowly. "Better. Yeah… better. Thanks"

She glanced around her surroundings. Noting the sleek, modern perfection of it all. Not one thing was out of place, and everything was way too clean. Hardly homey.

"Nice place you've got here." She commented sarcastically. "Did you have it professionally decorated or something?"

He shrugged casually. "Actually, yeah I did."

She pushed the hair out of her face. The remaining lingering alcohol in her system making her words a bit bolder than usual.

"It shows. None of this stuff suits you."

He blinked in surprise. "Come again?" he asked her.

She gestured all around the room. "It all looks like so staged and fake. Nothing seems like it actually means anything to you."

Adrien sucked in a shocked breath. Amazed by what she had just told him. Looking around the room, he couldn't believe he never noticed it before.

"You know, you're absolutely right." He chuckled dryly. "I actually really hate all this crap."

She held up her glass of pale orange liquid in a sarcastic cheering gesture at his epiphany, before knocking back the entire contents. Swallowing hard, she made a sour face and handed him the empty glass because she was worried that she would drop it.

Adrien let out a throaty laugh and took her empty glass away to the kitchen. When he returned, Marinette had sat up fully and was petting the soft blanket he had covered her in.

He sat down on the couch next to her.

"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Almost five." He said plainly.

Her surprised face snapped up and stared at him like he was joking. Her guilt clawing deeper up into her throat.

"In the morning?"

He nodded slowly.

"Did you sleep at all?" she asked feeling instantly guilty.

"A bit." He answered honestly. Truthfully he had laid down a few times. But every noise that she made in her sleep, made him jump up and check on her.

Marinette sucked in a breath and groaned. Despite her heavy drinking, she remembered nearly everything that had happened. She remembered him showing up at the venue, bits about the fight, and then the aftermath.

"H-How's the hand?" she asked, glancing down at his knuckles. Although they didn't even seem bruised.

He chuckled, leaning back into the couch. "I know how to hit, Marinette." His head swiveled in her direction. "And, apparently, you do too."

"Yeah." She answered mildly, trying not to give too much away. Although, the Ladybug in her began to find the whole situation quite funny. A silly thought jumped into her head, and then a bright smile passed over her lips.

She couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up her throat and pushed past her lips as she chortled,

"Maybe we should fight crime together?"

She collapsed against the couch cushions, cracking herself up at her own inside joke. Because he couldn't know how easy that kick had been for her, or that she was a god-damned superhero hiding in plain sight.

Adrien laughed subtly, but then realized how ironic her statement was for him too. Not knowing that the irony was not lost on her. In fact, the more he thought about it, the funnier it became. He began to laugh harder, only because Marinette's laughter was infectious.

Soon they were laughing so hard, neither of them could breathe. Which only made them laugh deeper.

"W-Why are y-you laughing?" Marinette wheezed, wiping happy tears from her eyes.

"I-I don't know?" Adrien amused, grabbing for his side because it was starting to stitch up.

"S-Stop laughing." She told him with a fury of loud giggles, smacking him in the shoulder. Only because he was making her laugh harder.

"I… I can't." He cried out, his whole body convulsing with laughter.

"… I … can't… breathe…" Marinette wheezed.

They kept trying to stop. Both of them gasping for air.

But, every time they looked at each other, they'd only start up again. Especially when Adrien started miming little jabs. And she instantly mirrored him, pretending to dodge and then punch at the air. He mimicked getting hit and she roared in victory.

It took well over a five minute for their collective laughter and antics to finally settle down. Laughing that deep felt like a huge wave of stress relief.

Marinette wiped her eyes, and sunk back down into the plush couch, still trying to completely catch her breath. Her heart was practically singing.

"God, I so needed that." She gasped, staring up at the high ceilings.

Adrien watched her out of the corner of his eye, his face hurt from smiling so hard. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time. It had taken a huge weight off his shoulders, leaving him completely relaxed.

At some point her feet had ended up in his lap, and his own long legs were propped up on the coffee table as they lay together.

There was a gentle silence hanging over them now. A kind of silence that made Marinette's brain recall where she was, and how she came to be there.

She brought both her hands up, covering her face in sudden shame. The fun laughter they shared moments ago, had only managed to make the guilt surface harder now.

"I… I'm… I'm so sorry, Adrien." She whispered to him, completely feeling ashamed.

Her voice was so tender and sad, that he sat up completely. Feet hitting the floor as he stared over at her.

"Hey." He told her earnestly, trying to get her attention, but she kept hiding her face. "Hey. It's okay."

She shook her head against his sweet words. "No, it's not okay. You shouldn't of had to do this."

He patted the top of her blanket-covered foot. "I'm glad I did. Besides, now I can check 'getting into a bar fight' off my bucket list."

He watched her smile gently from behind her fingers. Slowly, she lowered them, letting out a mild groan in the process.

"Still..." She whined. "Rose could have called Alya or Nino… I honestly didn't tell her to call you."

"It's fine. Really. You needed help. I was happy to oblige."

"Oblige…" Marinette repeated softly. He even talked fancier than her. He didn't belong in her messed up life. One look around his swanky, probably half-a-million-euro apartment, was enough to tell her that. And she felt the weight of it like a crushing blow to her humiliating actions this evening.

Adrien Agreste did not get into bar fights. He wore designer suits, modeled high-end clothing, and ran a prestigious fashion agency. She was such a bad influence.

Sitting up abruptly, she swung her feet off of his lap and pulled the blanket off her. Her vision spun a little bit, but not too bad.

"May I use your bathroom before I go?" she asked.

"Of course." He pointed over his shoulder and down the hall. "First door on the right."

"Thanks." She said, standing up. The room didn't spin, but it briefly floated and she was thrown off balance.

His hand was on her elbow in an instant, steadying her. She pulled it away sharply and walked hurriedly towards the bathroom.

Once inside, she shut the door firmly, gripping the wall to steady herself. Finally alone, she smacked herself in the forehead.

_'_ _What am I doing here?'_

Adrien watched her go in, and found himself staring longingly at the closed door even after it was shut. There was no way she was leaving here tonight. But he'd address that when she got out.

Marinette splashed cold water on her face and used toilet paper to clean up what was left of her eyeliner. Glancing at herself in the ornate silver mirror, she looked pale. Her skin appearing to have a blue tint to it, or maybe that was the residual facepaint?

_'_ _Why am I doing this to myself?'_

Drying her hands, she took another look at herself, and shook her head slightly feeling the anxiety of facing Adrien again like a pit in her stomach. He had literally come, in the middle of the night, and collected her drunk ass from some seedy pub, and then took care of her all night to ensure that she sobered up. Oh, and personally fought off her crazy ex. What kind of person does that?

Him. He did that. Gods, why did he have to be so damn perfect?

Taking in a deep, steadying breath, she gripped the handle and opened the door.

Exiting the bathroom, she glanced down the hall towards the front door. Her purse was hanging from a coat stand, which made her feel better. At least she hadn't forgotten it somewhere.

A part of her felt like grabbing it and going straight out the door. In fact, she took a step forward to do just that. To leave and just go home. Thinking it would be so much easier that way.

Although, she also felt a subtle, unexplainable pull back towards the living room. Perhaps it was the man seated within? She had to thank him, or at least apologize about a dozen more times for her stupid behavior. And for his timely rescue.

Building up her resolve, she turned and walked back towards the living room. Finding him up off of the couch, but leaning against the arm. He looked every bit like the model that he was. From his relaxed shoulders, to the placement of his legs.

She hadn't noticed before, but he had pajama pants on, and a Henley-style sleep shirt – looking ready for bed. The casual clothes added to his comfortable body language. And, in a room surrounded by contemporary opulence, he looked slightly out of place. Like he should always be in a suit and tie in order blend in with the backdrop.

His blonde head swiveled towards her as she walked back into the room. She was wringing her hands, and chewing on her bottom lip.

"I'll… uhh… get out of your hair." She muttered. "It's been a long night… erm… morning. I'm sure you're exhausted. I just wanted to say, thank you. A-And that I'm sorry. I'm sorry times infinity, actually…"

He blinked at her, and humorously smirked. "You're not going anywhere."

Her blue eyes bulged from her skull. That wasn't the message he was trying to convey, but it could have fooled her.

"Umm… okay?" she faintly chuckled, trying to laugh it off but her heart was pounding all of a sudden.

He shook his head gently and clarified. "Mari, it's five in the morning. I have a spare bedroom, just stay here." He offered her.

She instantly declined, waving her hands back and forth. "No, I couldn't put you out like that. I've caused enough trouble for you tonight."

He waved her comment away, hoping to putt her mind at ease. "It's no trouble. Besides, I kinda had fun."

She crossed her arms over her chest is dull skepticism. "Oh yeah, cause taking care of a drunk me was totally what you wanted to do tonight."

He shrugged nonchalantly. His tone was playful. "You're a fun drunk. Besides, after what happened to you tonight. I'd have drank too."

Marinette dropped her arms and snickered dryly. "I think I'd pay money to see you drunk."

He matched her laugh with his own. Reaching over his head, he stretched his long limbs before standing up fully.

"Most people would pay money to see me do just about anything." He teased her, winking.

She shook her head in amusement, trying not to smile at his joke, but failing because he was just too damn delightful.

He moved closer to her, drawing a surprised breath from her lungs.

"Stay." He told her gently, his voice dropping lower. "Sleep in as long as you want. No one will bother you."

While the idea did sound wonderful - sleep that is - she had to refuse him. It wasn't polite to stay.

She stared at the floor unable to look him in the eye. "No… I-I-I'll call a cab. It'll be fine. You've done…"

Adrien knew she was probably the most unselfish person on the planet. He liked that about her. In fact, he liked a lot of things about her.

A strong hand went to her shoulder, making her jump at the contact. "Marinette, it's okay to let someone take care of you once in a while."

The smooth words made her look up at him. It was like trying to resist a force of nature to not see him as the unbelievably sweet and charming person that he was.

Not to mention, still so ungodly attractive.

Her heart was suddenly in her ears. Her mind was misconstruing his words. She wanted to brush his hand off her shoulder, but a huge part of her loved it when he touched her so casually.

Shyly, she put her own hand softly on top of his wrist. He skin felt so warm under her fingers. Like she could feel the energy and strength he had humming just beneath his skin.

Adrien stepped closer into her personal space, and her vision abruptly narrowed. Tunneling so tightly that she could only stare up into his face, and envision nothing else.

She watched as the expression on his face shifted right before her eyes. Turning into something so completely sensual that it made her gasp. Color filled her cheeks instantly, and she turned away to hide it.

His fingers were suddenly on her chin, drawing her face back to look at him. Her mouth fell open slightly at the touch.

He bent down lower towards her, his own lips parting as his eyes closed.

Lighting surged across her skin. She dared not even blink, thinking she'd wake up. But, oh for the love of all, he was definitely trying to kiss her.

Panicked, she turned away. Not exactly pushing him away, but avoided his kiss. Causing his face to go past hers. Their cheeks brushing softly.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, amazed at her ability to speak clearly.

It took him a moment to find his voice. He had not expected her to turn away from him. He wanted to lie and pull away. But he couldn't deny what he was feeling right now.

"Kissing you?" He questioned gently as he exhaled against the side of her face.

She gasped, feeling like she was trying to breathe through a straw.

"But… why?" she panted, her whole body was tingling in shivers.

Adrien didn't exactly have an easy answer. It had just felt right to him. The endearing moment had made him weak. And he had just reacted.

He dropped his hands away. Ready to apologize profusely for his actions.

God he was an idiot. A complete and utter idiot. He shouldn't have done that. Talk about wrong place, wrong time. He hadn't even asked for her permission. He just cracked.

He opened his mouth to start his ten-part apology. But, in a small voice, barely audible if he hadn't still been standing so close to hear it, she asked:

"… W-Why me?"

Her own insecurities not allowing for this to happen to her. She couldn't believe that **he** wanted to kiss her. And on purpose.

Those sad words caught him completely by surprise. He leaned back to peer into her face. Confused because he thought of her as a wonderful person. He loved spending time with her. He loved making her laugh. He was starting to really like her. And that wasn't just this moment talking.

He tilted his head to the side in question. Did she not see how amazing she was?

Looking down at her, in this moment, with her raw emotions so readable across her face, he realized that she didn't.

Well, he'd remedy that here and now.

"Why not you?" he enquired genuinely.

Marinette drew in a sharp breath. Her blue eyes impossibly wide and shining like she had just been fed the biggest compliment of her life. Those perfect words spinning through her mind. Her nose felt tingly as the emotions surged through her body.

In a leap of blind love, she pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and wrapped both arms around his neck. Their foreheads touched, and her lips were on his instantly. Almost begging.

Adrien was caught off guard momentarily, but it quickly faded. And then, his arms coiled around her slim waist, holding her closely up against the front of his body.

Tilting his head, he kissed her back, and she faintly hummed against his lips. Their kiss softened from her initial push. They both relaxed into it. Feeling the blissful sensation as it melted them together.

She pulled away for a brief moment. Long enough to breathlessly whisper, "Oh." She gasped. "Oh wow."

He chuckled deeply, and she felt his laugh like a subtle vibration through both their bodies. His arms slid up her back as he pulled her up and into another kiss. This one was deeper, more sensual. It made her faintly moan, and him physically purr.

He pulled away after a few long and glorious seconds. "Wow, indeed." He echoed.

She smirked, letting her arms fall away from his neck. Practically sliding down the front of his body as her feet touched the ground.

She stared into his smiling and incredibly attractive face, before sighing contentedly and resting her forehead against his chest. Closing her eyes at the sensation of his strong arms hugging her so tightly.

"What are we doing?" she breathed nervously. Truly, what did this all mean?

He rested his chin on the top of her head. Letting out his own version of a contented sigh.

"Whatever we want." He answered her tenderly.

She liked the sound of that. For now, it felt okay.

"Then… I want to kiss more." She murmured playfully, rubbing her nose back and forth against the fabric of his shirt because it was embarrassing to say out loud.

He smiled at her honestly, pleased that it matched his own thoughts. He put a hand on the side of her neck, drawing her face back up.

"God, me too."

She beamed, and he kissed those smiling lips.

Cautiously, his tongue licked against her bottom lip, seeking permission. She opened her mouth to him without hesitation. And the passionate kiss slowly took over their minds.

She lapped at his mouth, hands on the side of his jaw, pressing his face into hers. He drank up everything she gave. Welcoming the intensity and giving it right back.

His hands fisted her clothes pulling her up against the front of his body like before. But also keeping them both from crashing to the floor as they rocked back and forth, pushing against one another.

When she moaned so deeply against his lips, he about fell over. He took a step backwards, dragging her with him. Never wanting to stop kissing her like this. Not for a single second.

And yet, he pulled away long enough to say just that. Because it was the truth.

"I don't want to stop kissing you." He panted fiercely.

She let out a sound between a sigh and a giggle. His words were like honey to her ears. She had no intention of stopping either. Not when this fantasy was consuming all her rational thoughts.

She leaned into him hard, giving him her best flirty smile as he was forced to take another few steps backwards. Her lips found his again, teeth dragging against his lips. Hungry and unrelenting. It was his turn to moan against her mouth.

The kissing was dangerous now. Hot, intense and utterly risky. Leaving room for wanting more.

The back of his knees hit the arm of the couch and, with a little encouraging push, he fell backwards onto it. He barely had a moment to register what happened, before she was above him. The wild look on her face making him gasp aloud.

He reached for her, pulling her down on top of him. She had no complaints. Kissing on the couch was much better than standing up. They plunged back down together, fingers finding clothes and hair, and holding on tightly.

Adrien felt his body react to her being on top of him like this. The weight of her legs and hips were pressing into him in all the right places. He wanted to trade positions, and tried to roll. Because if this went on for too much longer – which he hoped it would – she would certainly feel how much he wanted her.

Marinette locked her legs around his hips, not giving him the option to move beneath her. And, Gods, it was such an immediate turn on.

His arms wrapped around her middle, pinning her to him so tightly that she could feel that excited part of him through both their clothes. She shifted against him, drawing a deep, primal moan from his lips.

That noise he made, caused her own body to tighten. Butterflies began floating wildly in her belly. Settling down lower in-between her legs.

God she wanted more. She wanted to feel those masculine strong hands on her body. He was behaving like such a gentleman, even though his kisses were lighting her body on fire. And she couldn't stand it any longer.

She broke their kiss, leaned back, and staring down at him as she sat perched on top of him. Smirking, she subtly wiggled her hips, and he briefly closed those fluttering green eyes in pure bliss as excited body parts got grinded against. She smiled devilishly at his reaction.

Reaching down, she grabbed ahold of both of his wrists and deliberately dragged them up the sides of her body. He didn't fight her. Loving that she was in total control. Especially when he felt her body shiver and her lips gasped against his touch.

She pushed his hands to her chest, letting out a massive breath when they finally touched her the way she wanted him to. He didn't need any further encouragement as he cupped her breasts. Dragging his thumbs across her nipples making them stand out even through her clothes and bra.

She was stunning. And not just because of the heavy petting. Although that certainly did make the feline in him purr. He was in awe of the unfiltered response she had toward him. Every reaction felt real. She wasn't pretending. And he couldn't help feel the same way. He'd never been so spellbound before. Or this immediately turned on.

Marinette's mind felt disconnected from her body. There was no way it was Adrien who was touching her like this. Drawing these kinds of breathless moans from her lips. Her back arched and her head was thrown backwards, eyes cast skyward. Because just his touch might be enough to send her to the moon. He leaned up slightly, watching her react to his caresses and was mesmerized by it.

When she came back down again, he was there to capture her lips. Parting them with his tongue and devouring her all over again. One hand leaving her chest to fist into her hair. So tight, it was almost possessive.

She couldn't stop her body from grinding into his. Her clever hands sneaking under his shirt, feeling those hard-packed muscles underneath, and tracing them with her fingertips. Wanting to lick her way down them.

His skin felt like fire where she touched him. He would let her do anything she wanted. And gods he wanted more.

"Marinette…" he breathed her name like a prayer.

She paused upon hearing her own name. Fingers stopping their bold roaming. The metaphorical licentious clouds in her mind, slowly clearing away.

She blinked, staring down into his wildly passionate and extremely attractive face. Lips puckered and looking positively sultry in his disheveled state.

There was nothing about his reaction that was fake. He wanted her. It was plain to see. Whether it was just sex or something more. It was definitely written all over his face, and not so subtly pressed firmly between her legs.

And Marinette unexpectedly realized exactly what that meant to her.

Something passed across her face. Something that made him drop his hands away although not completely off of her.

"Marinette?" he called, because her blue eyes seemed to looking through him.

They stopped everything and simply stared at one another.

She felt like she'd been sucker punched. The comprehension of exactly who lay beneath her right now made her toes curl and her stomach flip.

This was Adrien Agreste she was kissing. This was Adrien Agreste drawing these passionate noises out of her. This was Adrein Agreste getting an erection because of her. Not just _some_ guy.

It was all too much for her aching heart to endure. The band-aids holding it together getting sharply torn off to reveal puffy pink, new flesh. Too weak to be hurt again.

Marinette pinched her eyes shut. Face twisting into despair. What was this? What were they doing?

She climbed off of him instantly. Her knees completely weak as she tried to get away and she stumbled awkwardly in the process.

"Mari…?" he called after her, sitting up.

"This was a horrible idea." She interrupted before he could say her name for a third time. She quickly began adjusting her clothes back in place, and not daring to look back at him.

For that one look may just rip her heart open entirely.

"Why?" he asked intently.

"Why?" She echoed, shock and awe pouring from her lips. "Why?! Because, you're Adrien Fucking Agreste. That's why!"

He blinked at her in confusion. "So?"

"So?! It's a big deal. No, it's a huge fucking deal." She cried out.

He stayed seated, but turned around and put his feet on the floor, glaring at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She turned away, hugged herself. "I just… I can't… I can't do this."

Bravely, she took one final look at him, sitting there all tousled and looking utterly sexy on that plush couch, and then she ran for the front door.

"Marinette!" He called after her.

She snatched up her purse, unlocked the multiple door locks in a fumbling hurry. Pretending not to hear her name being called over and over as he chased after her. And also, trying her hardest not to cry.

She had her hand on the doorknob when his arm came over the top of her head and pinning the door closed.

"Why are you running?" he asked her, his voice heartbreakingly serious. "Tell me."

"Please…" She begged softly, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. "… just let me leave."

He wasn't a monster. He'd never force a girl to stay. Slowly, he removed his hand from the door. Slightly shocked with himself that he'd been so forceful in keeping her here.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, trying to be gentle now, in case he'd scared her. "Please. Tell me."

She ducked her head, pulling her purse tighter against her chest.

"I… can't." she whined.

"Why?" he insisted. If he had pushed her too far with what happened on the couch, he would never forgive himself.

She shook her head back and forth. Not saying another word. She sucked in a weak, shaking breath.

This wasn't like Luka. It felt completely different. This had nothing to do with her being Ladybug and keeping a secret identity. Even though that was something that could never be ignored.

However, right now, it had everything to do with Adrien being Adrien. Through no fault of his own. Her first real head-over-heels crush coming back into her life, and re-firing her heart like she hadn't spent years trying to forget him.

"Mari, tell me. Please. Did I do something wro—?"

Her heart was about to burst open. She couldn't hold it in anymore. In a surge of pent up emotion, she cried out.

"Because I spent _years_ getting over you, okay? **_Years_** _Adrien_! And I-I-I won't do it again."

With that said, she threw open the door and bolted, shutting it firmly behind her.

Leaving Adrien standing there, completely dumbfounded as his own door slammed in his face.

* * *

Marinette dashed for the elevator, pushing the plastic button about a thousand times to make the elevator come up faster.

_'_ _Come on, come on…'_

Unable to help herself, her gaze shifted to his front door. Finding it still closed. He hadn't chased after her.

She sucked in a weak breath. Would it have made any difference if he had?

When the elevator chimed and finally opened, she darted inside and, once the doors firly closed, and she was alone, she collapsed against the mirrored wall in uncontrollable tears.

* * *

In a complete daze, Adrien turned around from the door and walked slowly back into his living room. His feet just kind of moved on their own.

_'_ _What… What just happened?'_

His eyes flicked to his own couch. Cushions all disheveled and wrinkled. Her blanket balled up and forgotten on the floor. He was still in disbelief that things had been almost perfect, just mere moments ago.

_'_ _What did I do?'_

A rumble of thunder caught his attention. Followed by rushing downpour of rain tinkling against the glass windows.

It was raining? When did that happen? How had he not noticed?

And now, Marinette was somewhere out in that horrible weather.

He felt a heavy thunk on the back of his head. Rubbing the spot, he turned around with gathering irritation, seeing Plagg hovering in the air with his arms crossed.

"You told me to smack you if you ever did something stupid." And then the kwami flew forward and hit him again.

Plagg's hits lit a silent spark within him. Humming through his body and drawing him up to stand tall once again as he found his nerve.

"Damn-it!" Adrien cursed to himself.

No, he wasn't going to let this go. Not her. Not like this.

"Plagg, stay here." He commanded as he ran for the front door.

Not caring that he was in his pajamas, Adrien rushed out into the hallway. He paused at the elevator, glancing up and watching as the little numbers were counting down.

He'd never make it in time to catch her. So, turning swiftly on bare feet, he pushed open the door that led to the stairs.

With all the speed and agility of Chat Noir, he flew down those stairs. Spiraling down floor after floor. Silently cursing himself for the selection of a penthouse.

Winded and gasping, he crashed through the lobby door, and stumbled out into the elegant room.

Charlie the doorman stood near the reception desk. Coffee mug in one hand, and phone receiver in the other.

Adrien's eyes fell on him like he was his only salvation.

"C-Charlie!" He gasped, out of breath. "M-Marinette. W-Where did she go?"

Charlie blinked at the young man. "Mr. Agreste?" His voice filled with concern and confusion. "I-I tried to call her a car, sir. But she just… ran out into this weather."

Adrien's eyes shifted to the wide lobby doors and the pounding rain outside. "Which way?" he asked.

Charlie pointed. "Left sir. But I would strongly discourage…"

Not heeding any further warnings, Adrien charged outside. Staring out through the falling rain as it instantly soaked through his clothes.

He saw her about a hundred yards away. A lonely, broken soul walking in the rain.

Splashing bare feet into the gathering puddles and with thunder rumbling all around him, Adrien started to give chase.

* * *

"Stupid… stupid…." Marinette muttered to herself, letting the heavy rain beat down on her because she felt like she deserved all of its wrath.

"What the hell was that Marinette? Gah, you freakin idiot… god…" She cursed.

"Marinette…please." Tikki pleaded, poking her head out from Marinette's bag. "Don't do this to yourself."

Marinette stopped walking. She was still crying, but the rain was coming down so hard that you couldn't tell. Still, she felt like the world was watching her cry.

"I just want to go home." She cried to herself. Because in this moment of extreme heartache, that's the only thing that sounded normal.

And yet, she was so far away from her home. All the way across town; in this rich, high-class area of Paris that might as well be on another continent.

She wanted to collapse into her own bed. Surrounded by her lovely store, and the life she'd built before he had waltzed his way back into it.

Tears stung in her eyes. Things would be better tomorrow. They had to be. Then this dream turned nightmare would end.

"Let me help." Tikki encouraged her.

Normally she would never use Tikki's powers like this. But, right now, all she wanted was to be home, in her own space, where no on could see her tears. And where she could pick of the pieces of herself. Like she had to do so many times before.

Wiping her rain soaked bangs away from her eyes, Marinette decided to take Tikki up on her offer. Turning off the sidewalk, she darted in-between two dark buildings.

* * *

Adrien watched as she abruptly turned into an alleyway. There was nowhere to go from there. What was she doing?

A bright flash erupted out from between the two buildings. Not the normal white-hot light of lightning. This one… this one… was red.

Adrien stopped, skidding to a halt on the wet ground, as Ladybug's yo-yo hooked onto a nearby streetlight. Then, the heroine herself, zooming out shortly after. Launching herself up into the grey sky and disappearing completely from sight.

The reality of the moment hit him so hard that it brought him to his knees. Blinking rain off of his eyelashes as he stared at the spot in the sky where she had disappeared into.

And then, his heart felt like it had shattered to dust and was melting away in the rain.

"No…" he wailed softly.

Please. Please, let it be anyone else but her.

Paris had over two million people who lived in it. Two fucking million people. The odds of him knowing who she was where always so slim. All this time he had imagined and hoped that Ladybug would be just some wonderful, perfect stranger. That would make things so much easier.

And yet Marinette was Ladybug.

Ladybug was Marinette.

He had nothing to go after her with. Plagg and his phone were back upstairs. He had never felt utterly powerless and weak to stop what was happening around him.

He could only kneel on the sidewalk in the downpour, and deliberately deal with the realization that he may have now lost them both.

* * *

***Author dodges hailstorm of flying objects***


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter warning: This chapter contains major angst and sexual scenes. Also, in this universe, the miraculous "power ups" don't exist.

* * *

\- Chapter 13 -

When Marinette rolled over to check her phone, it was nearly three in the afternoon. She also had five missed calls from Adrien. Two from Alya. And about a dozen text messages. All of which she cleared away without reading.

She put her face into her pillow, letting herself faintly scream into it.

Last night, or actually earlier this morning, had been a disaster. A complete and utter disaster.

It was Saturday. Potentially one of her busiest, and most revenue generating days. She had a backlog of orders and commitments to complete. But she just couldn't get herself out of bed.

On top of that, her head was pounding and her throat was dry. Her body felt heavy and a bit listless. She brushed it off, assumed it was just the remnants of her hangover.

Tikki brought her a glass of water, setting it down on her nightstand.

Marinette could hear the small creature buzzing around, as she continued to lie in bed – wishing she could just go back to sleep and not have to face what the day might bring.

Tikki's little hand brushed a lock of dark hair away from her forehead. "You feel a bit warm, Marinette." She told her.

Marinette sat up, taking up the glass of water and sipping it slowly. It was sweeter than honey on her dry throat.

"I'm fine." She answered.

Tikki gave her a worried look. "You know I heard everything last night, right?"

Marinette sighed heavily and nodded.

"If you want to talk about…?"

"Tikki, right now, I just want to forget yesterday even happened." Marinette barked sharply. A bit of irritation gathering in her voice.

Tikki flew into her face, wings buzzing loudly. Showcasing her own irritation. "But it did happen. You can't just ignore..."

Marinette kicked the sweaty covers off of herself, and climbed out of bed in an angry huff. She stumbled as her head felt weirdly fuzzy when she moved.

"I have to Tikki!" she groaned, leaning against the wall for support that she needed both mentally and physically. Groaning loudly, she bitterly added, "For my own sake, I have to pretend that last night was nothing. Because it was nothing. A big, steaming pile of nothing!"

She wasn't in denial. It hadn't been simply nothing. In fact, it could have become her everything. The most perfect, dreamboat of a man, so real in her arms. Lighting every fiber in her body up like a damn Christmas tree.

She slammed her fist into the wall, and slumped to the wood floor in a heap.

Tikki flew over, coming to gently land of Marinette's knee. "Oh Marinette." She cooed sympathetically.

Marinette covered her hand with her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin from the slight increase of body temperature.

One day at a time, she reminded herself. Just like before. Focus on work, ignore everything else.

_You were happy without him before. You'll continue to be happy without him now. Nothing has changed._

"It's going to be okay." Tikki insisted, watching as Marinette's face twisted with emotions displayed so clearly in her expressions.

Marinette nodded her head slowly while rising up onto her own two feet once again. Thank goodness her building didn't have hot water. Because a cold shower was exactly what she needed right now – to help wash away her weariness.

After her shower, she felt a bit better. But her head was still pounding. And her nose was stuffy. She dressed in comfy, baggy clothes and pulled her hair back into a high and tight ponytail before settling down to get some work done.

She kept the front door locked, choosing to stay hidden from the outside world for the rest of today. Which turned out to be quite productive. She got several outfits altered to close out some existing customer orders. And then cutting out and pinning together some fabric panels before running them through her sewing machine. By the time she has done, there was a stack of panels ready for embellishments, buttons or zippers prior to hemming.

The day quickly came and went thanks to the plethora of available distractions – which were a godsend. Evening brought on Marinette feeling a bit weak. She ate a light dinner, although she really couldn't taste much of it.

Due to oversleeping, her sleep schedule was off. So it was late when she finally laid in bed, sketchbook in hand, and began doodling for inspiration. With the Summer season around the corner, and temperatures already heating up, she wanted to have her designs planned out.

While sketching a bold floral pattern on some high-waisted shorts, her nose started dripping. So, she stuffed a tissue in her nostril and kept working.

Marinette hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep again until her phone buzzed violently with a text message. Groggily, she read who it was from, groaned, and cleared it away without reading it.

Her sinuses were horribly stuffed up. Making her head feel like an overly inflated balloon about to burst. Her lips were cracked and dry from breathing through her mouth all night long. Definitely not good signs.

Sitting up slowly, her sketchbook fell out of her lap and onto the floor in the process. Tikki fluttered over with a tissue. Which did nothing to help clear Marinette's sinuses when she blew her nose.

"I think you're getting sick Marinette."

Marinette nodded her head in defeat. "Yeah…"

"You should rest." Tikki urged.

"I'm fine… just need… shower." Marinette responded as she threw her covers off and stumbled downstairs, leaning against the walls in the process.

A hot shower would have helped clear her sinuses. The cold water only made her shiver. Trudging back upstairs, she dressed in an old pair of sweatpants and a sweater because she felt chilled to the bone.

She needed to do laundry. But that wasn't happening today.

She also needed to open her shop up. Staying closed on a weekend was not helping her business.

There was also about a mountain of other things to do today. But the sickness was sucking away her energy.

Scooping up her phone, she sat on the edge of her bed and scrolled mindlessly. Hoping to find some motivation.

Going through her text messages was a good distraction. Although she chose to ignore the half-dozen or so from a _certain_ someone. But answered the others. Alya was outside the city assisting with an interview about some political nonsense. Marinette could feel her friend's irritation through the texted words. She texted her best friend back words of encouragement, and changed the topic to upcoming wedding plans. Which would get Alya hyped.

In other news, Candi has posted some photos from her drag show last night. And she was wearing one of Marinette's long Juleka-inspired skirts, complete with a sequin-blinged out blouse, and some Lady Gaga-esque claw high heels – all of which made Marinette smile.

Leave it to Leo to give her the incentive needed to get herself together.

Standing up, she checked the weather while stripping off her comfy clothes. Which was forecasted to be unusually hot for the rest of the week. And not a drop of rain in sight.

Finding a casual navy t-shirt dress, she slipped on some dark grey leggings and added a burnt orange colored scarf for a pop of color. The orange helped make her skin look less sickly. Adding some blush to her face, she skipped on any eye makeup and put on a tiny bit of lipstick to help keep her color up.

Even if she didn't feel 100%, at least she could fake it.

Satisfied with her physical appearance, Marinette headed back downstairs and started to open up her store. Throwing back the wall of curtains to let in all the bright sunlight.

She didn't feel great, and was moving at a lower pace, but it was somewhat tolerable. Her appetite was nonexistent. But Tikki kept encouraging her to drink more fluids.

By mid-day, she had a bit of cough. Which was soothed by some hot honey tea. She found herself sitting down at lot. But she still smiled brightly when a customer came through her door.

Only about another hour later and she was too exhausted to get up from her stool. Consequently, she sat behind the counter with her head leaning heavily against her hand.

Despite the stuffiness making her feel woozy, it did not stop the thoughts from spinning in her brain. A bit more rational than before: She had finally told Adrien about her crush on him. Hindsight, she probably could have handled that better. It certainly wasn't the way she had imagined telling him. She had pictured that conversation a thousand different ways, and none of them involved yelling in his face directly after they had sucked face… and… other things.

Her face flushed as the memories crashed into her like a wave. In the moment, it seemed to go on forever. Time hadn't existed. All she felt and tasted was him. Glorious him. But now, it was fading. The want and desire replaced with resentment and humiliation.

_Check it off your bucket-list, Mari. It'll never happen again._

She could blame her actions on the copious amounts of alcohol. But that was a lie. She was sober enough to be in full control of that situation.

_And you certainly took control, didn't you?_

She put her head into both hands and let out a small moan of disappointment. All with herself.

He probably thought the worst of her. He had hundreds, if not thousands, of eligible women throwing themselves at him. All pining for a chance to be his girl. And here she was, doing the same exact thing.

Marinette thought she had closed herself off to all those stupid ideas years ago. She should be happy just being friends. As the saying goes, there are plenty of other fish in the sea. Even though he was a god-damn merman.

And yet, Marinette could not explain the pile of unread text messages from him. Perhaps there was something more?

Reaching for her phone, she nervously opened the messages and read the first few.

**(Adrien):** _Are you ok? Can we talk? Please?_

**(Adrien):** _Did I do something wrong?_

**(Adrien):** _I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you._

And with that, she closed the app, flipped her phone over, and left the rest of his messages unread.

She'd done it. She'd well and truly done it this time.

Just before the sun went down, Marinette found the energy to walk over to the corner store and grabbed as many snacks as she could carry before quickly paying and trudging back home. Abandoning the multiple packages of crackers, chips and cookies on her counter, she headed upstairs to change clothes.

Slipping back into comfy clothes, she collapsed into bed. Pulling the covers up over her head in a fabric cocoon. Feeling like she couldn't stay awake for another second.

Although, sleep still eluded her. Maybe from her stuffed-up sinuses? Or the fact that her feet wouldn't warm up, even buried beneath her blankets.

What was it about being sick that makes you feel so needy? The craving to have someone nurture and take care of you. Tucking you in. Bringing you hot tea and soup. Telling you to rest in the gentlest, most loving of voices.

But when you're all alone. There isn't anyone else. And that makes you feel worse.

During times like this, she would have called Luka and listen to him play his guitar. Lulling her to sleep with his lyrics. Those were the enjoyable times. It was almost painful not to call him anymore. She'd burned that bridge too.

So she laid in bed. Shivering alone in the dark. Feeling sorry for herself. Wanting what she couldn't have.

Sometime during the night, a tiny voice worryingly said, "Marinette… you're burning up."

"C-Cold." Marinette muttered into her pillow. She couldn't feel her fever, only the chills that coursed through her body.

The next sound she heard was an ear-drum shattering alarm coming out of her phone – the warning of an akuma attack.

* * *

It had been days since Adrien had heard from her. Which was slowly eating away at him. Sparking all kinds of inappropriate thoughts as he fretted over her well being. He did finally get confirmation from Nino that she had been texted Alya. So that eased his worry that she at least made it home safe and sound.

Why was he even worried about that anyway? She was Ladybug. And certainly wouldn't need any rescuing. However, it still didn't make him feel any better.

He'd slept very little during this time. Spending the nighttime hours tossing and turning about what to do. Or, better yet, what not to do. This wasn't something he could "fix".

You can't just have one of the most intense, hot-n-heavy makeout session of your young adult life with one of your newly reacquainted best friends, and expect things to continue as normal. Now add in to the mix, that you secretly found out that she is one of Paris' most beloved superheroines, who you've idolized for years, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

The pieces were all there. And he was slowly putting them together. But the stress was eating away at him.

He had spent all weekend in bed. Tossing and turning. Sleeping for maybe thirty minutes at a time. Feeling the biggest of weights on his chest. His mind unable to relax.

So, come Monday, Adrien did something he'd never done before. He called in "sick" to work.

Of course, his colleagues believed him immediately and wished him a speedy recovery. Because Adrien was probably on the verge of death to actually take a full day off.

And, sure, Adrien would eventually have to deal with his Father finding out about his apparent "illness", and then he'd have to deal with that awkward conversation.

But all that paled in comparison to the hurricane of emotions currently spinning through his head and heart.

_How had I not seen it before?_

Although, if he was completely honest with himself, it really had never occurred to him that he may actually know Ladybug in real life. That she could and would be someone so close to him. Someone he communicated with so casually. Someone he thought of as a long-lost friend. Someone so poetically humble.

And that was probably why Marinette was chosen to be Ladybug. A perfect fit. It made so much sense.

_It was her. Of course it was her. Who else could it be?_

To him, Ladybug had always been that magnificent stranger. He could walk past her on the street every day, and never know it was her. His dream girl, hidden behind a mask of spots.

He had grown to accept that her identify would forever be a mystery to him and all the citizens of Paris. It had to be. He had no right knowing it. It was for her protection, as well as his.

And mostly because knowing... knowing would have undoubtedly caused him to seek her out. Rules be damned. He would want to know her. Find her again. Meet her. Casually bump into her on the street and smile at her. Because she was everything he wanted.

Now. After all these years. He finally knew.

Perhaps he deserved this fate? He had abandoned her and Paris for years while he went off to pursue a life he never wanted. Was this karma pointing a cruel finger and laughing at his bad luck?

In an exasperated huff, Adrien abandoned his plush bed and went downstairs to his gym equipment. Because working out often helped him focus and think clearer.

He used his rowing machine until his shoulders ached and his arms were shaking. His fingers were locked up from gripping the metal handle so strongly. He must have rowed fifty miles, and none of it offered any clarity.

She had been in his arms only days ago. His lips on hers. Ladybug's lips. Her body so snug up against his that it was a crying shame to still be wearing so many clothes.

_It's Marinette, you idiot. Marinette!_

Adrien made a guttural noise and climbed to his feet. His whole upper body felt like it would never forgive him. The overstressed muscles were jelly-like and involuntarily twitching.

So, he took to his treadmill next. Cranking the machine up to max. He ran hard to the non-stop electronic whine of the engine and sliding track. But even the heart thundering cardo did nothing to stop the thoughts that plagued him.

He pushed his already athletic body to the unhealthy point of breaking. Because the physical pain helped drown out the emotional. His bloodshot green eyes staring blankly at a fixed point on the bare wall.

She may, one day, forgive him. Because that was Marinette's personality to be forgiving and understanding.

They might be friends again. Or distant acquaintances. Business partners, maybe? It was plausible. He'd welcome any chance at redemption. He would have loved the opportunity to date Marinette.

He ran in place for several hours. Stopping only to continuously crank his air conditioning temperature down lower and lower, because he was sweating through his clothes.

Plagg flew towards his face, huddled in one of Adrien's alpaca scarfs, with his teeth chattering.

"Kid, are you trying to turn me into a kwami popsicle?"

But Adrien couldn't hear him. His feet were pounding too fast on the rolling track. Every muscle in his body was beyond strained, fatigued and sore. It was a miracle that his legs kept going.

Adrien's face twisted with anguish and the physical pain.

_It was an accident. I swear it was an accident!_

He'd never tell anyone. Never.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed the incline on the ramp to its maximum and sprinted with all his might.

Hawkmoth or Mayura could torture him and he'd die before he betrayed her.

Her secret was now his secret, and he would do anything to protect it and her.

Only now… she wanted nothing to do with him.

He watched her run from him again. Sprinting down the hall as the door hit him in the face. And he was just as alone… just as lost.

With the though, Adrien physically stumbled as his body said enough. Skinning his knee on the track before toppling to the floor in an exhausted heap. Collapsing on the thick carpet with a loud curse, his pulse pounded steadily in his ears. His breath felt sharp and stung in his lungs with every gasp.

He lay on the floor, staring up at the vaulted ceiling, and felt the stinging burn of his tired body while fighting back little waves of nausea.

Had he known. God, if he managed to find out about her identity years ago – things could have been different.

_No they wouldn't, you idiot._

His teenage self would have thrown caution to the wind. But, years had now passed between them. There was more at stake now. More social pressures that he couldn't ignore. More dangers lurking around every corner.

But this is Ladybug. The super-heroine of Paris. And it was Marinette. His… friend.

She had the same secrets as him. The same secret identity crisis. They shared the same heartache.

_And I left her alone._

He should have stayed in Paris. He should have stayed by her side. Perhaps then, their bond could have… become something more? Would it have made a difference? Or was his romantic heart wanting what wasn't there?

Because Marinette had liked him… once upon a time. She had said as much.

He heard her voice in his head. _"I spent years getting over you… years Adrien! I won't do it again."_

Over him? When? How? Why hadn't she said anything? Why hide her feelings from him?

_No. No. No. Do NOT blame her._

It was over now. He had to keep telling himself that.

It was over.

He knew her greatest secret. And, probably the worst thing, she didn't know that he knew. And he couldn't tell her without exposing his own identity as Chat Noir.

And yet, here he was. Wanting her all over again. Wanting what he couldn't have. Just like before.

Although, before it had only been Ladybug, and that had been somewhat tolerable because of her celebrity, goddess-like, unattainable status. Now it was both of them. Two women. Both different and yet so similar. And it was almost too much for his heart to accept.

Selfishly, all he had left were the memories of their last night together. Both haunting, and glorious.

His body warmed instantly with the vivid memory still so fresh in his mind that it was painful to recall.

She could have been his. And for the briefest of moments, she was.

Just days ago, his hands had touched her. His arms had held her. His lips had kissed her. Not just kissed, but sucked and devoured her lips and tongue. While the gentle gliding movements from her body threatened to drive him insane.

It was the taste of her mouth, the movement from her body, the most wonderful combination of shyness and boldness to her actions.

Tired, frustrated and unable to help himself, Adriens hand slipped beneath his clothing. Seeking physical comfort from the strain of those heated thoughts.

And, suddenly, she was there all over again. Writhing above him now. Grinding against him. Controlling his hands on her body. Demanding where and how he had to touch her. So strong, confident, and beautiful.

Adrien groaned loudly. The pent-up desire of an unfinished encounter driving away the shame of his actions.

In his spinning head, it was Marinette. Then, it was Ladybug. They were one body, one voice. And that voice moaned for him. Gasping, breathless, and boneless as he remembered her touch, the taste of her lips, and the scent from her body.

His orgasm was so immediate and raw that his hips bucked off the floor, and his eyes pinched tightly closed as he faintly whined from the release.

What should have been a glowey and heady aftermath, only left Adrien feeling bitter and more alone.

Rolling to his knees and standing up, he stumbled into the bathroom to clean himself up. The face in the bathroom mirror looked hollow back at him.

Coming out of the bathroom, he leaned heavily against the doorframe trying to remember how to breathe correctly.

"What is wrong with me?" He asked aloud.

Plagg flew a bit closer, still wrapped up in the scarf. "Is that a rhetorical question, or did you want an answer?"

Adrien glared at him and shuffled back downstairs to the kitchen to drink some water.

"I don't know why you don't just go over there and run into her awaiting arms." Plagg encouraged him.

Downing a full glass of water, Adrien coughed and then said, "Awaiting arms? I think she'd sooner punch me, then hug me."

"Maybe." Plagg muttered. Pausing for a few seconds before snidely adding, "And knowing now that she's Ladybug, the punch would hella hurt too."

Adrien scoffed, not amused by his kwami's dark humor.

Plagg chuckled to himself. "Probably break your jaw…." He mumbled playfully.

Adrien didn't say anything, just continued to drink more water. He needed a shower. His sweaty hair was matted to his head. Not to mention, his body was shivering from the shock of the strenuous workout plus the frigid air conditioning drying his sweat.

"… At minimum a black eye." Plagg grinned mischievously.

"Ok that's enough." Adrien warned angrily, not in the mood for jokes right now.

Plagg landed on the kitchen island, tucking the scarf all around him as he tried to keep warm.

"So… How much longer are you going to mope for?" Plagg asked casually.

Adrien shot him a dark look. "Do you have any idea how hard this is for me?"

"Yes, in fact. I do." Plagg answered. Giving his Chosen a squinty eyed but concerned look.

"Then why are you being difficult?" Adrien insisted, leaning against the island because it was difficult to stand up on his own.

Plagg rolled his eyes, deliberately choosing not to answer.

Truly, Adrien didn't blame him. He was moping, he just wouldn't admit it. Plus, the idea of having to plaster on a fake smile and go about his week like the past few days hadn't happened just sounded exhausting.

He had years of practice perfecting a fake persona. He could slip back in and resume his so-called life.

However, **she** might have been the one to change all that. To crack his walls and see the person he was behind all the masks he wore.

No. No. _No._

_It's all in your head._

He was betraying her by knowing her secret, and not telling her that he knew. Somehow, he just was. But maybe that's what he needed to do: betray her. Push her away. That way, she'd well and truly hate him.

He slammed his fist against the marble covered island in frustration.

_I wish I didn't know._

And that's when his akuma alarm went off.

* * *

The akuma was a generic, wash-rinse-repeat of a lame comic-book-looking villain sporting a large freeze ray gun that turned the beginnings of a hot Paris summer, into a freezing winter. The akuma's magic froze cars, trees and fountains into solid blocks of ice. Except the fountains, those now spouted tons of fluffy snow up into the air.

And the reason? Turns out the akumatized victim liked colder weather, and was disappointed by the early season temperatures. Not that the citizens of Paris were complaining much. A few kids were actually playing in the snow.

It wasn't until the akuma turned his sights on freezing innocent people, did everyone start to panic.

Chat Noir was dodging freeze ray blasts while perpetually slipping on the icy roads. He was fighting alone longer than usual.

And when Ladybug did finally make her appearance, he noticed almost instantly that her movements were slow and uncoordinated. The pain his heart might have felt upon seeing her, was immediately forgotten. Something was definitely wrong.

Leaving the akuma for a moment, he bounded towards her as she hid behind a frozen tourist bus. Her arms were crossed over her chest like she felt the cold, and was trying to warm up.

Chat froze (no pun intended). Her face looked pale and her eyes almost grey in color. Not the bright sapphire blue he knew so well.

He knelt down beside her, opening his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

Flashing a dull smile, Ladybug dryly joked through chattering teeth. "A-Another winterized-d akuma, huh? I th-thought it-t was supposed-d to be summer s-s-soon?"

Hearing her voice brought it all back again. That was Marinette's voice. And in this moment, he wished he had her powers so he could summon a thousand blankets to warm her.

He was staring at her intently, and it was slightly unnerving. "Kitty? You o—?"

"Are you okay?" he interrupted, his voice demanding and urgent. And, maybe, a little panicked.

Sniffing back a runny nose, she nodded dully. "A little under the weather, I-I s-suppose."

Chat Noir swallowed hard on a dry throat. She was sick. Why did it bother him so much?

The akuma's freeze ray went off over their heads. Freezing another car into a block of ice. That car now slid uncontrollably down the icy coated road directly towards them.

Chat didn't think, he just reacted. Grabbing Ladybug and jerking her away, seconds before the frozen car hit the spot they just were.

They both skimmed across the ice, separating as they fell. Chat Noir scrambled to his feet as quickly as the ice would allow. Ladybug got up too, but much slower than him.

He rushed to be at her side again, but the akuma's ice beam blocked his path so he was forced to dodge.

Luckily, Ladybug had used her yo-yo and repelled away. He watched her get some distance and felt himself sigh in relief.

When the akuma's weapon went off again, he was back on the defensive. Using his staff to divert the beam away from himself.

His eyes weren't focused on the akuma in front of him. He was frantically searching for her amongst the chaos. Feeling every bit responsible for her in her weakened condition.

A solid kick from the akuma struck him in the chest, throwing him backwards at an astonishing pace. His back collided with a billboard, but a well-timed yo-yo caught him around the waist before he went splat against the ground.

Once he was safely lowered to the ground, Ladybug ran past him and down into a nearby metro tunnel. Calling over her shoulder as she ran.

"Quick, down here."

He gave chase. Stopping with her at the bottom of the stairs and inside the empty metro station.

"Why here?" he asked.

"Less stuff to freeze and throw at us down here." Ladybug told him smartly. She was leaning against the wall. Her hand against her forehead as if checking her own temperature.

"You're sick." Chat Noir told her. As if she needed to be reminded. Maybe he's the one that needed to be?

She nodded, closing her eyes as if she was already exhausted. But really her fever was just getting worse. So much so that her vision was fading in and out.

"I'll be fine." She responded stubbornly.

Another loud boom from above meant the akuma was about to be following them down into the metro.

She moved away from the wall and stumbled on her feet as she began to walk down the dark tunnel. Chat's cat eyes could see perfectly in the dark. Although Ladybug was at a slight disadvantage. But the akuma would be too.

Chat Noir moved closer, prepared to catch her if she stumbled badly again. He shouldn't pry, but he was troubled with her not feeling well.

"How did you get sick?" he asked with genuine concern.

Another loud boom shook the metro walls. Causing little pieces of concrete to break away and rain down on them.

Ladybug thought about Chat's question for a second. Not thinking anything of it, because she had no reason to lie, so she answered with the truth.

"Stupid reason. I got caught in the rain the other night." She said as she kept walking down the tunnel.

It took a few seconds for her words to sink in. But when they did, Chat Noir felt like she'd struck him.

He stopped dead in his tracks.

It hadn't rained since that night she'd been with Adrien. He caused this. Maybe not on purpose. But it felt like his fault.

Finally, after a long and painful silence he spoke.

"I-I'm so sorry." He breathed and his voice echoed in the tunnel.

Ladybug shot him a look, now over twenty feet away and still walking away from him. But he could catch up in a second if he needed to.

"What are you sorry for, kitty? It's not your fault." She answered casually. Trying to put her partner's mind at ease. Even though he was sweet for saying that to her.

However, Chat Noir still blamed himself. Plus, she had no idea who he really was. No idea whatsoever. That's what made it even harder.

The temperature around him dropped significantly and abruptly. Even his breaths formed little clouds.

Looking up, he saw a bright glowing spot in the roof of the tunnel. He stared at it, watching it get bigger. Not sure exactly what it was he was seeing.

And suddenly, as the crack appeared in the concrete, he knew.

The tunnel exploded from above as the akuma's weapon carved itself through the tunnel's roof. Raining down chunks of ice, cement and evil laughter – right on Ladybug.

In panic, her name erupted from his lips.

"Mari!" he yelled at her, and that got her attention.

As if in slow motion, she turned towards him. Eyes impossibly wide.

_'_ _He… he knows?'_

Chat Noir did not think he was capable of moving at the speeds that he moved at just then.

Seeing her silhouette in the shadows of dust, he reached out for her in a blind fury. Strong arms tightened around her body as he flung them both sideways just as the ceiling collapsed entirely bringing down bits of the road and an entire frozen truck.

Their propelled bodies skidded to a halt, slamming into the nearby wall.

While he had protected her from the rubble coming down from above, there was no way to keep her back and head from slamming into the wall.

Ladybug's fevered world went abruptly black. And with it, her transformation fell away.

Chat Noir could feel the normal clothing on her skin, not the smooth almost Kevlar texture of her spotted suit. She wasn't Ladybug anymore. Which meant she was unconscious.

But years of keeping secret identities forced his eyes closed on impulse.

Pieces of concrete continued to fall around them like hail. He covered her with his body. Shielding her as much as possible from the debris. The akuma cheered in delight at the demise of Paris' superhero due. Hopping away in celebration, despite Hawkmoth yelling in his head to search the rubble for their Miraculous.

"Ladybug!" Chat called to her. She didn't respond at all to his voice.

Chat Noir still refused to open his eyes and see her like this. Simply because, it wasn't supposed to happen this way. Their inevitable reveal.

They were meant to find out together. In a quiet moment of trust and honesty. Surrounded by a beautiful and cascading Paris moon. With the stars reflecting in her eyes.

Not feeling her half broken in his arms.

"Marinette!" he begged.

Still nothing.

God, she was hurt. And he had no way of knowing how bad it was without looking at her.

"Chat Noir!" came a little panicked voice from over his shoulder. He could hear what sounded like the buzzing of tiny wings.

He turned his head towards the noise, but didn't open his eyes.

Tikki was covered in dust from the collapsed metro. She surveyed the situation presented before her. And, as trickle of blood dripped down Marinette's face, she made the decision.

"Open your eyes, Chat Noir. You already know. Just get her out of here. Please." The kwami begged.

Chat Noir hesitated. He was so torn.

"Please. Chat Noir, please." Tikki wailed. "She's _bleeding_."

That did it. He opened his eyes and, blinking the dust away, stared down at the woman who was Ladybug.

Tikki flew over to Marinette, hovering close to her face to see if she was breathing. Which, thank goodness, she was.

She turned her wide blue bug eyes to Chat Noir. "She's okay. She's still breathing."

Another blast sounded above their head. Maybe the akuma was coming back after all?

"Come on!" Tikki told him urgently.

Chat Noir scooped her up, leaned her face into his chest to keep it hidden from anyone who might look, and they moved.

Chat Noir carried Marinette far enough away from the overly powerful and destructive akuma – who should have been a no-brainer to fight and defeat. How did he let it get this bad?

Finding a quiet spot, he set her down as gently as possible. The little trickle of blood coming from her head was not easing up.

"H-Hospital." He breathed nervously. Yes, she needed a hospital. The sight of her blood terrified him.

But Tikki was better prepared and more level headed in this moment. "Take her miraculous, Chat Noir. Become Mister Bug again. The magic will heal her wounds faster than any hospital."

He touched the side of Marinette's face tenderly. Feeling the weight of her condition like a lead weight on his chest. She was still unconscious. Still pale. Still feverish.

As much as it chattered his heart into a thousand tiny pieces to leave her alone, he knew that he didn't have a choice. Tikki was right. He had to do the smart thing. Even if it didn't feel right to leave her alone.

Chat Noir had always been the assisting magic. It was Ladybug who healed the world. It needed her more than him.

Taking in a deep steadying breath, he called out to Plagg and let his transformation fall away.

Somehow it distressed him more to be staring at her as Adrien. Maybe because any second she could wake up and see him. Although, with how pale her skin appeared, that didn't seem like it would happen too soon.

He'd see Paris safe. Cleanse the akuma and come right back.

"I promise." He whispered.

"Plagg," he ordered, standing up. "Stay with Marinette. I don't want her to wake up alone and scared."

Plagg instantly flew over and huddled close to the young woman. A tiny paw on her neck.

"Hurry kid. Her pulse is weak."

Adrien felt his blood run cold. "Tikki, come on!" As he took off running back towards the akuma.

While running, he called for Tikki's transformation and ran to finish the job.

As the cloud of ladybugs descended upon the city, and undid all of the destruction, Mister. Bug could only run as quickly as he could to get back to his Lady. Who also happened to be Marinette. He wondered if anything would ever be the same again.

* * *

Marinette woke up in her own bed. A purring black kwami tucked against the crook of her neck. So much like a real cat that she hated to move at all. But she wanted under her blankets. Her body was still cold. Whether it was from lingering akuma magic or her sickness, all she wanted was to be warm.

She shifted, and Plagg took to the air to hover near her face.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Just c-cold." She replied. Plagg moved out of the way so she could lift back the covers and snuggled in.

The tiny kwami brought her a glass of water, which she drank while fluffing her pillow with the other hand.

Twisting her body to put the empty glass back on her nightstand, she turned back and was eye to… erm spotted abs with a very worried looking Mister Bug. She hadn't even heard him come in the room.

"Chat?" she questioned.

"Mister Bug, remember? Just borrowing your spots, m'lady." He corrected her, with a dull smile on his lips.

She knew that. But glad he confirmed. "How did I get here?" she asked him.

A fair question. But he still lied.

"Your kwami, Tikki, led the way and let me in."

Marinette was feeling too sick to even question how that had worked out. Her dizzy brain was too worried about something else.

"… the akuma?" she asked.

"Tikki and I handled it. Mister Bug made a special appearance. All is well. Except for you, that is."

Marinette smiled at his little joke and physically relaxed. Still feeling weak from her fever. But happy to have one less worry. And a big worry at that.

"N-Never thought I-I'd get to see M-Mist-t-ter Bug again." She muttered teasingly, shivering with every word.

Mister Bug smiled at her comment and kneeled on her bed. "Are you alright?"

Marinette nodded her head slowly. "G-Good thinking t-t-taking my miraculous and st-stopping the akuma." She praised him through her half-closed eyes.

Mister Bug shook his head. It hadn't been his idea. He'd been in too much shock to think clearly.

"It was your kwami's idea. Not mine. I-I…"

Marinette closed her eyes gently and sighed heavily. "Well, at least the akuma is g-gone now. Paris is saf-fe again."

Her blankets weren't warm enough and felt twisted around her legs.

She tried to sit up and untangle the covers. She nearly succeeded if Mister Bug hadn't grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her against his chest.

She ended up sprawled across his half-way across lap, and in one of the tightest, saddest hugs she'd ever felt.

He may have kept hugging her forever if the miraculous earrings he wore hadn't started beeping.

He pulled away just enough to look at her face.

"Go hide in the next room and transform back. I won't look." She told him sincerely.

Mister Bug nodded and ran off to hide on the other side of the wall.

Before Plagg flew to follow after him, he turned to Marinette. Dropped his voice very low and spoke to her.

"He's going to insist that you know who he is now." He warned her.

Marinette appreciated the heads up. "I know." She told Plagg confidently. "I won't let him."

Plagg nodded his little head and flew off.

When Chat Noir came back around the corner. Marinette was still sitting up in bed and her blankets were straightened. Tikki sat perched on her knee. They were talking in whispers, but Chat Noir could hear that Tikki was reassuring her about something.

Noticing him enter the room. Marinette turned to him.

"Chat… I…" Marinette started to say.

He shook his head, stopping her question with a gesture of his clawed hand. "Rest m'lady, you're very sick."

But that wasn't enough to stop her questions. "How did you know it was me?" she asked him.

He couldn't answer that honestly. God help him. So, he settled on a half-truth this time.

"It was an accident. I swear." He poured as much sincerity into his voice as possible.

She would either believe him, or she wouldn't. He was ready for the consequences whatever they may be.

Closing her eyes in quiet contemplation Marinette took in a breath and let it out slowly.

"I believe you." She told him. The expression on her face, almost looked… relieved?

There were more questions to ask. So many more questions. But they could all wait. She didn't have the energy to ask them right now.

Truthfully, she never wanted this to happen. But now that it had. Well, let's just say it had been a very revealing few days. Add it to the plethora of other issues in her complicated life. Chat knowing about her identity almost paled in comparison. But she would deal all of it on another day.

"This all feels like a bad dream." She spoke weakly, collapsing back against her pillow.

Chat felt his heart burn. Feeling like he had betrayed her.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette. I really am." He urged. Wanting so badly for her to believe him.

"K-Kitty, it's ok. I-I'm just glad it-t was you." She shivered.

At least it was him. Someone she could wholeheartedly trust. And not Hawkmoth or all of Paris for that matter. Chat Noir would never betray her. He was, perhaps, the only constant thing in her life.

Teeth chattering she muttered softly. "S-Sorry, I can't seem t-to get warm."

Without another word, he pulled back the blankets and sheet, and climbed into her bed.

"Scoot over." He instructed gently.

"Chat… no… I'll get you sick." But she was already scooting over to accommodate him next to her..

He laid down next to her, pulling her closer. "Worth it." He purred.

He wrapped his arms around her. Using his body heat to warm her.

There was a little bit of adjusting, but soon Marinette lay still.

Laying in her bed, facing the pale-pink wall, Marinette tried to tell her heart to stop beating so fast. But she couldn't deny how unbelievably sweet the gesture was. Her mind also tried to ignore the fact that Chat Noir felt like a hand-carved Greek statue of living, muscled, flesh wrapped up in a magical wrapper that faintly hummed against her skin.

He smelled subtly like eucalyptus and mint. Perhaps a lingering shampoo? At least her sinuses weren't as stuffy anymore and she could actually smell it.

And after a few short, but glorious minutes, she finally stopped shivering. And it only took another few seconds, for her to fall asleep. Blissfully warm, comfortable, and relaxed.

Chat Noir continued to hold her tightly. Only because he didn't know when he would ever get to do it again. And the thought was killing him.

He buried his face in to her hair and focused on what to do next. Because he never wanted to let go.

* * *

Author's Note: Happy New Year! Oh my gosh, I have so much to say. I guess, number one, I want to thank everyone for their patience. I know this chapter was a long wait. Trust me, I wanted to be writing, but I've just had soo much going on.

If you're curious, here's a little breakdown: Moved to a new state, new job, hated the job, got a new job (a better job!), bought a house, spent two month renovating said house, moved in, Holiday madness, and now, here we are.

I must say, this year has been interesting. But I am settling in now. Things are good. My New Year's resolution? Write more. Because I do love it. And I love you all for loving my stories. Thank you for all the positivity and kindness. Stay well! Stay safe!


	14. Chapter 14

\- Chapter 14 -

It took a few days for Marinette to feel better and get back to normal. Although, thanks to a certain someone, she had hot soup and dumplings delivered to her window on more than one occasion. Part of her felt a bit embarrassed, almost like he was intentionally spoiling her. The other part of her secretly liked the attention. And she was trying her best to ignore that part. Chat Noir should not be showing her any special attention.

She had to talk to him. Sooner rather than later. Although, being sick and bedridden gave her plenty of time to think about the repercussions of him knowing about her secret identity.

Truthfully, she trusted Chat Noir. More than trust, she confided in him. Owing him her life on more than one occasion. But they still needed to talk. Clear the air. Come to some kind of an understanding. And, for the love of all, the unsolicited housecalls had to stop. Someone was bound to see him leaving food at her window. And she wasn't ready to answer those questions from her neighbors.

Now that her mind was out of its feverish fog, the realization of him knowing about her secret identity was hitting hard. Did it worry her? Yes. Was it a bad idea? Not entirely. Did it feel kinda relieving to finally have someone know about her civilian self? Hell yes.

Around Chat Noir, she wouldn't have to watch her words anymore. Worrying about revealing any personal details. It was all out in the open now. And, if she was honest, it was rather liberating.

When she finally caught up to him, over a week had gone by. It was a warm and humid Paris evening, and the Eiffel Tower had just closed to tourists for the day.

Ladybug used her yo-yo to swing up to their usual meeting spot, wondering if he would show up tonight. She'd been here nearly every night during the week, and he hadn't been around. She was starting to worry. Was he avoiding her? Could her feline partner be taking this harder than she was?

Truth was, Chat Noir couldn't face her just yet. He needed time to process what had happened between them. And exactly how he was going to deal with the repercussions.

Would she be mad? Hate him? Demand his Miraculous be returned? All were possible scenarios. None of which he wanted to happen. So, he avoided her until he could find some inner peace with himself.

In his mind, it only seemed fair to tell her his true identity. That way there would be no more secrets between them. If only he hadn't messed up so bad with Marinette as Adrien. Then the conversation would have been a hell of a lot easier.

He had to fix this. How? No clue. But continuing to avoid her would only make things worse.

And yet, the time he allowed to pass only made him into an anxious wreak. He really had no idea how she was going to react to him being Chat Noir. His worst fear being: she would run from him again.

This night, with his belly knotted in nerves, he paced the iron truss of the Eiffel Tower. Repeating his rehearsed lines like an actor preparing for a scene. So when Ladybug landed on top of the Eiffel Tower, Chat Noir was waiting for her.

His head was slumped forward and his shoulders were knit tight with anxiety. He heard her approach him. Her light footsteps were unmistakable.

"Hey Chat Noir." Ladybug greeted him warmly. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

He turned to watch as she subtly waved in his direction as she walked closer. Real concern reflected in her face.

He couldn't help himself, his sour mood lifted slightly upon seeing her.

"Good Evening, Ladybug. My apologies for my absence."

She stopped walking and stood a comfortable distance away. "Just Ladybug tonight?" she questioned him teasingly, hoping to lighten the mood.

It took him a moment to realize what she meant. A few confusing seconds passed. Then he had to smirk when he finally figured it out. He did rarely call her Ladybug, and she had noticed.

"Sorry, m'lady. Guess I'm not feeling myself tonight."

Not even a hint of a cat pun. He must really not be feeling like his usual self. Although, Ladybug knew Chat Noir had a quiet side. It just wasn't often that he showed it.

Looking out into the glittering city, she mirrored his sentiment.

"That's okay, Kitty. I've kinda been feeling a bit off lately too."

There was a long pause between the two of them. Just the noises of the city far below.

Normally the silence wouldn't bother him, but tonight he had too much on his mind.

He nervously cracked his knuckles, finally finding his voice.

"Is it because…?"

"Because you know?" she finished for him, giving him a curious side-eyed glance.

He nodded slowly, so glad she had brought it up first.

Ladybug shrugged. "Yes and no."

He sucked in a shallow breath. Preparing his next words to be as sincere as possible.

"I really didn't know, Ladybug. I swear I didn't know." He pleaded.

Ladybug brought her hands up to her face. Her thumb dragging across her lips as she listened.

"I know you didn't." She replied, but there was tension in her voice.

Preparing himself for the worst, Chat Noir began to ramble. "It was a total accident... I didn't mean to... I saw you transform and I… I didn't know what to do. You were gone before I could say anything… I chased after you… But the..."

"Stop." She interrupted him. Worried that his next words might reveal. "Stop talking."

He made a little grunting noise and shied away from her. Building up his emotional shield.

Ladybug turned towards him, sensing his stubbornness. "It's okay Chat Noir. I'm not mad." She insisted.

"Yes you are." He countered quickly. Not believing her words. None of the scenarios he'd played out in his head ended with her not being angry with him. He had prepared himself for her anger. Not for her leniency.

Ladybug crossed her arms over her chest in protest. "No, I'm not." She retorted, trying to convince him.

"You never wanted me to know. You practically insisted upon it." He fired back.

Ladybug stared at him. "Well fine. That was then. And this is now. You know. And there's not much we can do about it."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she pointed a single finger at him, silencing his words instantly.

Her voice was serious and firm. "And don't you think for one moment about telling me who you are. Don't even think about it."

Chat Noir gripped his clawed fingers into frustrated tight fists. Trying not to lose his nerve and blurt everything out.

"But… But I..."

"You are not sacrificing your secret identity just because you found out mine. I won't allow it, Chat Noir." She insisted.

Those were Marinette's words. Her strong voice. He had heard it time and time before when she was standing up for what she believed in. He wished for that kind of quiet strength.

Chat Noir closed his open mouth. Feeling his once carefully thought out and orchestrated words completely die on his tongue. He didn't deserve to be forgiven so casually. But it was impossible to argue with her when she spoke words that eased his every worry.

Her tone softened now. "You know me. Let's just leave it at that, okay?" she continued. "Our enemies are still out there. I refuse to risk your secret getting out too."

Shocked by her pragmatism, he could do nothing except stand there and slowly nod his head. Stunned by her acceptance of him knowing her identity.

It wasn't right to hide his identity from her. But if she found out now, would he lose her? Would she run away from Adrien again? Deny him again? Become that perfect stranger once again, even though he knew her untold story?

For purely selfish reasons, he kept silent. Because this may be the only way to stay close to her. To keep her in his life.

Relaxing slightly, he let her words fully soak in. This was an option he never considered.

And yet, he had to know something else.

"I'm the only one that knows, aren't I?" he asked.

Ladybug nodded her head slowly. "Yeah. Just you."

She sighed, feeling slightly disheartened by the wave of memories that flowed through her.

"I almost told someone else once." She admitted to him. Her voice hitched with a bit of irritation that the memories caused.

"Hindsight, I'm glad I didn't. But, a completely different set of circumstances." She waved her hand in the air, pushing the memories aside because they only made her angry.

Realization abruptly struck Chat Noir that, at one point in time, the other person might have been Luka. He swallowed hard. Remembering that particular conversation with her not so long ago. Giving her the advice that might have sealed Luka's fate.

Oh god. That means, she had liked Luka enough to want to tell him her deepest secret. What right did he have to know? If she knew it was Adrien under the mask, would it have mattered?

Chat Noir instantly felt pains of regret. Because he had found out by accident, not because she wanted him too.

"I'm sorry." He practically whispered. Somehow an apology didn't feel like enough.

Ladybug turned towards him again. Her eyes softening as she noticed how upset he was. This wasn't her usual fun-loving and flirty Chat Noir. This angsty mood didn't suit him at all.

"What are you sorry for?" she spoke gently.

The truth fell out of his mouth. "I'm sorry that you didn't get to tell me who you are because you actually wanted to."

Ladybug was taken aback by his words. Feeling them like a weight on her heart and mind. Yes, it did suck. Sucked big time. But also because he was right, knowing her identity was a big deal. It was probably one of the most intimate details of her life, and she couldn't return the favor.

She stepped closer and put a gentle hand on his arm. "I know you may not believe me, but I am really glad it was you Chat Noir."

"Really?" He asked, not hiding the shock in his voice.

She nodded. "I trust you to keep my secret."

There was a brief pause as Ladybug explained herself further.

"We're the same, after all, you and I, we share the same burdens and the same responsibilities. If the roles were reversed, I'd do the same for you. I hope you know that?"

He touched her hand on his arm, gripping her fingers slightly and he stared into her eyes. Truer words had never been spoken.

"I know, M'lady. Thank you."

He gave her a weak smile and she returned it with one of her own. For now, things were back to normal.

Well, no better time than now to ask her.

"Now that I know. I think we need a better way of communicating with one another. Hoping to run into each other during patrol won't be enough."

Ladybug gave him a suspicious look. "What are you suggesting?"

Taking a steadying breath, Chat Noir pulled a cell phone out of the pocket of his armor. It was an older model phone. Certainly not a fancy smartphone that everyone in this day and age possessed.

He tapped on the screen, and the phone came to life. "Give me your phone number."

Ladybug shook her head. "Chat no…"

He held up the phone, showing her what it was. "I _purr_ -omise, cat's honor. This a burner phone. You won't know the number or who it's linked to."

Ladybug looked at the phone, then back at him. "Are we in the mafia now, or something?" she darkly teased.

He smirked, slipping easily back into his usual demeanor when she teased him like that. "Witness protection program." He jested.

She opened her mouth to argue, but shut it because she could see the similarities. Still, it felt a bit off.

She hesitated. "This goes against everything we've ever done."

He nodded. "True. But I'd rather be just a phone call or text away in case something happens."

"Nothing is going to happen." She insisted. "You knowing my face doesn't change anything."

"I know." He added sadly. "But, will you do this for me? Please? To put my mind at ease?" His whole body language changed instantaneously. Ladybug found herself blushing as he stepped closer. His soft words warmed her as if he was touching her.

"To know that I can be there at a moment's notice. It will help make things easier for me."

"Easier for you?" she questioned. Her voice was breathy.

He nodded slowly. "M'lady, you're one of the most important people in my life. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me." She told him weakly, feeling his words pull at her heartstrings and her knees.

Something flashed in his feline eyes, making her gasp. No, she had gasped because his clawed fingers had brushed the side of her face. So soft that her brain barely recognized the action, but her body certainly felt it.

"I almost did." he breathed.

She blinked up at him. Panting softly.

Why was he so terrified of losing her? What changed? Did suddenly knowing her identity grant a sense of mortality? Why was he being so overprotective? Or, was Chat Noir revealing a piece of himself that he also kept secret? If so, what did it mean?

She took a shy step away from him. Putting some distance between their bodies and his sweet/sad words. Because the air was impossibly thin, and she swallowed hard on a dry throat.

Trying to defuse the moment, she turned away. "I was just a little sick. We got through it."

Chat Noir watched her shy away, and let her go, for now. "We did."

Ladybug took the offered moment to collect herself. Sighing to herself, she turned back and stared at the phone. This wasn't logical. In fact, it was purely an emotional response to the situation.

However, she couldn't deny that things were different now. Perhaps it all hadn't fully sunk in yet.

Sighing again, she took the phone out of his hand and started to input her number.

"For emergencies only." She told him sternly as she handed the phone back.

Chat Noir stared happily at the phone screen. Recognizing Marinette's real phone number.

"Emergencies only." He agreed with a toothy smile.

Of course, that didn't happen. Not at all.

* * *

The text messages started at 7:00 am the very next day.

**(CN):** Good morning! How did you sleep? I slept _purr_ -fectly well.

Staring at his message, Marinette groaned into her pillow. In her mind, she figured this would happen. Although she wasn't expecting it so soon.

Throwing the covers off, she put her feet on the floor and typed a response before getting up.

**(Marinette):** It's 7am. Can we not do this now?

**(Marinette):** And you're supposed to text me for emergencies only!

While she was brushing her teeth, her phone went off again. Presumably with his reply. Padding across the wood floor, she read the text.

**(CN):** I can't help it, M'lady. Cats are crepuscular.

Holding the toothbrush in her mouth with her teeth, Marinette stared at the unknown word. She could have googled it, but it was easier to just ask.

**(Marinette):** Okay, what does that even mean?

She left her phone to go finish brushing her teeth. Then washed her face and ran a comb through her dark hair. During that short amount of time, her phone chimed twice.

Making her way back into her bedroom, she selected the clothes she was going to wear today and dressed before looking at her phone again.

**(CN):** I'm so glad you asked. It means we are most active at dawn and at dusk.

**(CN):** Meaning afternoon cat-naps are a must.

Shaking her head, a dull smile crept up her lips.

**(Marinette):** Sounds like an excuse to be lazy :P

**(CN):** Well, cats do sleep between 12 and 14 hours a day. Luck for you, I only require 8 to 10.

**(Marinette):** Because you're human! Not a real cat.

**(CN):** I beg to di- _furr_.

Physically rolling her eyes Marinette gathered up her hair into a loose bun before putting her phone in her pocket and heading downstairs to open her shop.

It was another hour or so before the next series of messages came through. She barely heard the chimes over the mechanical whurr of her sewing machine.

Sipping on her cold coffee, she read through the messages.

**(CN):** Did you know that ladybugs aren't actually bugs?

**(CN):** They're beetles.

**(CN):** Maybe I should call you Lady Beetle?

**(Marinette):** What's with all the random facts?

**(CN):** Just making casual conversation, M'lady beetle.

**(CN):** Would you _purr_ -fer something else?

**(CN):** How about a game?

**(CN):** I spy with my little eyes, something… blue.

**(Marinette):** lol you're so ridiculous.

**(CN):** I'm just _kitten_ around ;)

**(Marinette):** Don't you have a job or something?

**(CN):** That's a _paws_ -ibility. Why do you ask? Are you, _purr_ -haps, curious to know more about me?

**(Marinette):** I didn't mean it like that. I just kinda wondered how you have so much free time on a Thursday morning?

**(CN):** Shh. Don't tell my boss.

**(Marinette):** lol

Her phone went quiet for a few hours after that. Which gave her the opportunity to get some actual work done.

Although at lunch she got a picture message from him of a delicious looking bento box. Complete with a colorful array of rolls and sashimi.

**(CN):** Look sushi! Happy kitty is happy.

Followed by a gif of a cartoon kitty with huge eyes, munching happily on a fish.

Well, he obviously was playing up the feline act a lot today. No wait, that was pretty much every day. And now she had a craving for sushi thanks to him.

**(Marinette):** Looks yummy.

Although that text reminded her to stop and get a bite to eat herself. The liquid breakfast of black coffee was not doing it anymore and her stomach was growling.

During lunch, Marinette caught up on some emails from current and prospective customers. Orders were still steadily coming in. Enough that she would be in the green this month. And probably next month too based on her already filling schedule. The outlook was certainly wonderous to see.

Filled with a sense of accomplishment, Marinette dug back into her work. Knocking out tasks to keep herself ahead of schedule. She had a lady coming in at 2:00 to be measured and go over preliminary designs for her wedding gown. The lady was part of the news station that Alya worked for, and had been the one to do Marinette's live interview the night of the fashion show.

Marinette thankfully remembered to put her phone on silent before the client arrived. She didn't need Chat Noir's ridiculous memes blowing up her phone – even though they made her smile. Not that she was ready to admit that yet.

Once her client left, only after paying a substantial deposit for the gown and buying a few things straight off the racks, did Marinette have a chance to look at her phone again.

No messages from Chat Noir. But a quick one from Alya, stating that she and Nino found a venue. Which meant, they'd finally set a date. Albeit, it was more than a year away. But that was probably the only opening available. Either way, Marinette texted her congratulations and asked if she needed anything.

A currier showed up with her mail and a few large packages which she happily signed for. Probably the mohair fabric she'd ordered from London.

Settling the packages away, she busied herself with another half a dozen tasks to finally close out her day. Although none of it felt like work. It never does when you're doing what you love.

The streetlamps were on by the time she locked up for the evening and closed the curtains on the front window. To which, she called upstairs and let Tikki know it was safe to come down.

As they were eating dinner, her phone went off again. Buzzing to life against the wood countertop. Marinette tapped on the screen and cleared the message away.

But nothing got by Tikki. "He's been messaging you a lot today." She casually admitted while chewing.

Marinette sighed to herself. "It was probably a bad idea to give him my number."

Her phone buzzed again, making them both jump. Marinette told it to shh as she flipped the screen over without seeing who the message was from.

"Persistent." Tikki mumbled teasingly.

"Persistently annoying." Marinette agreed. In her head she could practically hear him saying _purr_ -sistent.

"It's not so bad. At least he cares about you?" Tikki offered.

The tiny kwami wasn't wrong. And if Marinette knew anything about Chat Noir, she knew he was a giant softie, sealed in a hard shell of magical armor. So much of him was still a mystery to her. Maybe this was a perfect opportunity to get to know him a bit better?

Their superhero partnership made them come to rely on one another, but communicating now on such a personal level– almost felt awkward. Perhaps that was his reasoning behind the numerous amounts of cat puns and random facts? Help break the ice a bit?

Her heart softened to the idea.

Flipping her phone over, she read his text messages.

**(CN):** What's your favorite drink?

**(CN):** Mine's a _meow_ -tini

Marinette physically grimaced at the stupid joke. She glanced up at Tikki, who was chuckling at Marinette's obverse reaction.

**(Marinette):** Okay that one was just bad.

**(CN):** I know. I even cringed while typing it. I'll do better tomorrow.

And, of course, he kept his word.

Marinette was greeted with a whole new set up cat pun jokes in the morning while she was trying to focus on cutting a pattern out of a delicate piece of lace.

**(CN):** You know what? I don't know what your favorite color is.

**(CN):** Wanna know mine?

**(CN):** It's _purr_ -ple :3

**(Marinette):** OMG stop.

Not even ten minutes later Marinette received a picture of a snow-covered mountain. Nothing else, just a random mountain. Thinking he'd sent it to her in error, she started to type a confused response. But her phone dinged again before she could hit send.

**(CN):** Look a meowntain!

Marinette laughed out loud, and felt like a complete doofus for finding it so funny. Coughing to clear her throat, but still chuckling to herself, she typed a response.

**(Marinette):** I hate to admit it. But that one got me to laugh. Good job kitty.

And he sent her back a gif of a kitty cat with its huge cartoon eyes shining with unshed tears of joy.

* * *

About a week later, Marinette was casually listening to an unplugged acoustic version of one of Jagged Stone's songs while balancing her books for the week. The rocker sounded completely different in this setting. It brought a whole new vibe to his music that she'd never heard before. And now, she couldn't stop listening to it. She had to give Chat Noir major kudos for introducing it to her. The two of them shared a similar taste in music - which came as a bit of a surprise.

Halfway through listening to the song for the fifth time in a row, her front door abruptly flew open and banged against the wall. Basking in the late afternoon sun, Leo leaned against the doorframe like it was his only lifeline to remaining standing on his own two feet and not faint to the floor.

His voice was practically singing. "Babe, I think… I think I'm in love."

Marinette glanced up from her spreadsheet. "Oh? Again?" She teased her friend.

Leo regained his composure and trotted towards her. "Don't sass me missy. I'm serious this time."

Marinette smirked. "Oh, do tell."

Leo pulled up her stool and perched himself on top of it, sprawling his arms out across the countertop and forcing Marinette to move..

"I did something totally reckless and stupid. I was weak. I couldn't help it. It just happened. And now… Now I'm totally screwed." Leo babbled, as he moaned against the wood surface.

"What happened?" Marinette asked, closing her spreadsheet.

Leo picked his head up, playing with the cup of colorful pencils and fluffy topped pens that Marinette kept on the counter so customers could sign receipts.

"Don't judge. But I signed up for one of those god awful, tacky online dating apps…"

"I thought you gave those up this year? A New Year's resolution? If I remember correctly?" She teased.

"Oh shush!" Leo shot back, propping his head up on his hand and narrowing his eyes in her direction. "Are you going to listen to my story or no? Cause I'll leave right now…"

Marionette chuckled. "You're right. Sorry. Go on. An online dating app…you say?"

Leo gave her a side-eyed look, but glanced away and returned to his story. "Yeah, so it's this new one that Nadia turned me on to. It matches you with others depending on your location…"

"Oh so like every dating app ever invented?" Marinette interrupted.

Leo pouted and twirled a judgmental finger at her. "Okay, who is this Marinette, and what did you do with the other one? What's with all the snarky comments missy? Hmm?"

Marinette shook her head. "Sorry, you're right. I don't know what's wrong with me."

' _Chat Noir is what the hell is wrong with me. I'm talking like him.'_

Leo huffed, but returned to his story. "Well, I guess long story short, this like mega hottie messaged me and, at first, I was like ok whatever, obviously a catfish. But then, he kept messaging me… Like a lot messages me… And I..."

Marinette's phone abruptly chimed with a text message. She glanced at the screen, read it and smiled like a fiend before swiping it to begin a reply.

"I saw that." Leo confronted her. His gaze overly judgemental as his lips smirked.

"Saw what?" Marinette countered, fingers hovering over her phone's keyboard.

"That smile." He scolded playfully. "I know that smile. I invented that smile."

"Oh stop." Marinette shushed him as she typed a response and set her phone back down.

Moving away from Leo for the moment, she pulled a bolt of fabric off of the far wall. Carrying it over, she laid it down on her workbench and began to unravel a few yards.

Leo handed her a pair of scissors, and, as she was accepting them, her phone chimed again.

Leo glanced at the screen as it lit up, and then lit up again nano-seconds later with another message.

"Someone's popular."

Abandoning her fabric abruptly, Marinette leaned over and snatched her phone up so Leo wouldn't snoop and read the messages.

"It's nothing. Just a friend." She insisted casually. Although that silly smile crept up across her face as she read the messages.

"Uh-huh." Leo baited. "I invented that phrase too."

Marinette shot him a disapproving look, but it was mixed with a smile that she couldn't deny.

"Okay, enough about me. Tell me more about your guy."

Leo beamed, happy to return to the topic. "Babe, please don't judge me. Please, I know it's wrong… nay taboo. But, I just couldn't help myself. This guy, he's so… I dunno. But I'm so screwed."

"Why, what happened?" she asked, wondering what kind of trouble Leo had gotten himself into.

Leo took in a deep breath and held it. "He's American." Before letting the held breath out quickly.

"So what?" Marinette questioned. Not sure what the big deal was.

"So everything! This goes against all my do's and don'ts. No exotic foreigners. They only break your heart and then put a literal ocean between you."

"Does he live in America?" Marinette asked.

"Well, no." Leo admitted, drawing little shy circles on the wood countertop with his nail. "He's on business here in Paris."

"Oh, so it's temporary?"

"Actually, from what he's told me it's a permanent assignment. He has dual citizenship." Leo shook his head back and forth, making his curls bounce. "But that's not the point!"

He stood up from his stool, and started to pace around the room.

"He's stupid, crazy hot. Like sunshine boy, but with a tan." Leo explained as he moved around.

"I held nothing back. I gave him the full experience: sent him all the cringy details that were certain to drive him away." Leo continued, his voice gaining octaves as he rambled on.

"He knows I'm a pathetic part-time barista dreaming the fashion dream. He knows I do the drag scene. He knows I'm batshit bananas. And he's still talking to me!"

Marinette chuckled. "Wow, sounds like a real crazy person. You should run for the hills." She teased.

"But, he's like asking me these questions. Like genuine questions. About life, and values, and my future. We've been talking nonstop. He's saying all the right things. I can't deal. I don't know what to do!" His voice was practically whining as he paced.

"So, you're upset because he's putting in the effort to get to know you?" Marinette felt like she was watching a tennis match with how much Leo was pacing back and forth across her store.

"Yes! And it's weird!" Leo gestured wildly. "All my usual tactics of scaring men off...nothing is working on him. He's batting them away, like he doesn't even care!"

Marinette smiled at Leo. She hoped this time it was true love. He deserved to be happy. Goodness knows how many times he tried to influence her love life.

"Leo!" She tried to calm him down. "This is normal! It's a good thing!"

Exhausting himself, Leo collapsed to his knees in the middle of the floor. "I'm meeting him irl this weekend." he admitted.

"Really?" Marinette exclaimed. "That's so exciting."

"Oh, it gets worse. I invited him to my show. The biggest eleganza event of the year."

Marinette knew that show. She helped Leo prepare for it every year. "And? What did he say?"

Using air quotes, Leo replied."'Wouldn't miss it for the world.'" And then gasped dramatically for air.

Marinette smiled. She knew this was Leo being overly dramatic. But this was also Leo trying to cope with the fact that he was catching feelings.

She turned back to her yards of fabric, ready to listen to Leo if he had more to say. But her friend was suddenly up off the floor and at her side. Gripping her hands like a lifeline.

"I-I can't do this alone. I need you there. Please, I'm begging you. I'll do anything. I'll give you a dress, you can borrow all my jewelry. But please, come with me. You gotta be there. I won't be able to talk."

Leo not being able to talk? Oh this was serious.

Marinette nodded her head. "Alright. Alright. I'll be there."

* * *

Later that evening, Marinette was finishing up dinner and her phone went off.

**(CN):** Are you coming out to patrol tonight?

Checking the time, it was still early enough to head out. She hadn't had an opportunity to go out as Ladybug all week.

**(Marinette):** Sure. Wanna meet up?

**(CN):** Of course :) Usual spot?

**(Marinette):** Give me ten minutes

After their usual rounds, Chat Noir and Ladybug sat together atop the Eiffel Tower, chatting casually about their week as their feet dangled over the edge. Even though they had been texting one another non-stop. Ladybug just loved being able to talk about her personal life with another superhero while they sat hundreds of feet in the air without a care about falling.

Chat Noir kept making funny comments that made her laugh. This high up, the wind was strong but it helped the night not feel so hot and humid.

"Any plans this weekend?" Chat Noir asked her.

Ladybug ran her fingers through her hair, finding her hairtie and pulled it tighter so her hair stayed back in its high ponytail.

"No…not really..." she said automatically and then backpedaled.

"Well, actually, yeah. I'm going to a drag club on Saturday."

"Sounds like fun." He admitted.

Ladybug nodded. "My friend is meeting a date for the first time. He needs a wing-woman, in case things don't pan out."

Chat Noir tilted his head to the side. "Do you do this often?"

Ladybug chuckled. "No, not at all. I've actually had more of a social life recently then I've had in years."

Chat Noir frowned slightly. "Why is that?"

Ladybug thought about her answer for a moment. "Well, when you were… away all these years." She explained. "I was so hyper focused on starting my business, that I pretty much ignored everything and everyone around me." She sighed contentedly before adding, "My friends tell me that I've made a lot of sacrifices. So, maybe I'm making up for lost time?"

Sighing to himself, Chat Noir leaned his back up against the metal truss, crossing his legs at the ankle and swinging them back and forth in the air.

"Making up for lost time." He echoed her words quietly. Thinking them over and how much they resonated with him.

"Hmm?" Ladybug asked, not hearing him over the wind. "You say something?"

He waved his hand, pushing her question aside. "Just thinking about what you said." He called back.

Staring out at the city that he called home once again and feeling reminiscent, he said, "I wish that I had stayed in Paris." He told her. The words weighed on him as much as time had.

Ladybug scooted a bit closer so she could hear him better. "Why did you leave?" She never thought to ask before.

Gritting his teeth, he responded darkly. "I was… obligated in pursuing someone else's requirements for my future."

Ladybug chewed on her bottom lip, feeling the tension in his words. There was clearly some hostility there, and she didn't mean to poke at it.

"That's… umm… not good." She tried to keep her voice lighthearted.

Chat Noir smiled slightly. Realizing that he was being a complete Debbie Downer to an otherwise wonderful evening with the company of his Lady. But she was always so easy to talk to. In the same way, so was Marinette.

"No, it isn't." he concluded and turned to meet her concerned gaze. "But, I suppose I'm now making up for lost time too."

"What do you plan on doing?" Ladybug asked.

His response to her question could go either way. In order to save face, he asked for clarification.

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "I can only speak for myself, but I always kinda felt like I missed out on all the fun. Parties, dance clubs, jello shots, you know, all the wild and crazy things you do in your early twenties…"

"You want jello shots? We can go get jello shots right now." Chat Noir interrupted her. He pointed out towards the skyline, deadset on going out if she wanted to.

Ladybug shot him a sassy look before continuing. "As for me, I was working three jobs, barely sleeping, living in my parent's house, and hoarding my pennies so tightly that anytime my friends went out to eat, I sat there and drank water." She pouted at the memory. "Not exactly fun."

"You were being responsible. Look where it has gotten you with your business." Chat Noir explained, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I know that now…" she replied.

It was tough to admit this next part to him. Even in such a short amount of time, she had grown closer to Chat Noir. Maybe it was the constant text messaging. But things felt different. It was almost embarrassing to speak about such things.

"Okay, how about this then? I never took the time to have a proper… ugh, this is embarrassing… but a proper boyfriend."

Chat Noir swallowed hard. "That's umm…"

"Pathetic?" She smirked.

"I was going to say tragic." He teased, and was rewarded with a solid punch on the arm that knocked him off balance and he had to catch himself or he would have fallen over.

Huffing to herself in satisfaction, Ladybug crossed her arms over her chest. "So yeah, I'm going out this weekend to my friend's drag club, wearing an outlandish outfit, and dancing until dawn because that's how I'm making up for lost time." She nodded her head with conviction.

"Sounds _purr_ -fect." He replied.

Ladybug turned towards him. "What about you, Chatton?"

Chat Noir pondered that for a few seconds, tapping on his chin in meditative thought. "Maybe… well, you know… I've actually always wanted to do something…"

"What?" she asked, genuinely interested in what he had to say.

"Skydive." He replied with a teasing wink.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "You literally have superpowers. How can skydiving be your plan?"

"Did I say skydive? I meant deep sea fishing. You know like on those Discovery Channel shows, where they go to the North Sea and risk their lives so we can eat crab? That. Definitely that."

Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "Are you being serious?"

"You told me to come up with a plan. That's my plan." He remarked cheerfully.

"But… deep sea fishing? Really?" She questioned again, clearly not believing him. "Is this some kind of stupid cat pun?"

"Are you mocking my plan?" He teased her, trying to act offended.

"I… umm.. no. But, it's just not what I… erm… expected."

Chat Noir stretched his long arms over his head. "I'm a mysterious man, M'lady. You should know that by _meow_." His voice was mischievous and filled with that deep purring tone.

Ladybug smirked, not believing him for a single second. "You really expect me to believe that?" She sassed back.

Finished with his stretch, Chat Noir laid his hands in his lap. Letting out a breath like a heavy sigh. And the sad noise was enough to change the entire atmosphere of their initial conversation.

His gaze softened as his shoulders slumped forward.

"Kitty?" Ladybug questioned, unconsciously leaning closer to him with the pull of the moment.

Gazing out over the Paris skyline, the warm wind blew the smells of Summer. Chat Noir drew in a deep breath of that comforting scent, and told her his plan.

"I want a house on the outskirts of the city. Not too far away that you couldn't take the train and have a nice dinner date in the city when you wanted to." His gaze flicked to her face. Gently smiling upon seeing her softened expression as she intently listened to his words.

"Something small, but with trees in the yard. Away from the eyes of the world." He continued. "A space to roam. A space to grow into. To live and actually call a home. Surrounded by those I care about. Real faces, with real smiles..."

Ladybug sat completely speechless as he poured out his true plan to her. Her heart melted with his yearning words.

Everything about what he said was unbelievably sad, and yet, completely heartfelt. This wasn't a ploy to earn her pity. This was truly him. Clearly, there were missing pieces in his life. Normal, and seemingly simple things that most people often took for granted.

Everything he said, she wanted too. Or, at least, she wanted to see him achieve it. He shouldn't have to go after it alone.

Her eyes went to his clawed hands, looking forlorn in his lap. Weeks ago, she would have let them be. But tonight, she reached out and touched his hand, covering it with her own.

"Are you a lonely person, Chat Noir?" she asked tenderly. Pouring a quiet sympathy into her voice.

He fixed his emerald gaze on her. Finding Marinette behind the spotted mask. Not surprised that she was able to see through his pretty words, and found the deeper cause of his pain.

He was lonely. A childhood filled with isolation, alienation, and coldness from a man he called Father. Being told to act a certain way. To project this faceless image out into the world because it benefited others but not himself.

The wind blew their hair. Car horns honked in the distance. The world moved around them.

"I was." He told her. "Until I met you."

* * *

Chat Noir squatted down, perfectly perched on top the ledge of a building with the onset of night. Peering across the street, he watched as customers packed up their laptops, and chugged the last mouthfuls of their caffeinated beverages before heading out the door of the humble corner cafe.

There were some chatty stragglers who were passive aggressively being shoo'ed out by the attentive barista. All the while shouting out in his sing-song voice: "You don't have to go home darlings, but you can't stay here."

Waiting for the last Customer to leave, Chat Noir felt the determination growing stronger in his belly.

He had finally made up his mind. About everything.

Simply put, Marinette was the genuine article that he had missed all along. Surrounded by fake people and haughty personalities his entire life, he had been blind to her as Adrien. Chat Noir had seen all of the wonderful qualities reflected in Ladybug, so it was no wonder he fell so hard for his spotted superheroine partner.

Being away from Paris made him miss his home and the people he'd managed to befriend back in his school days. It made him more akin to what he actually wanted. So when Marinette came back into his life, she had stuck out to him. Shining brightly in his grey toned world.

And then the two women became one.

Now he's willing to take the risk to be with her. If that meant he had to be Chat Noir forever to make her willing to accept him, then so be it. Now only Chat Noir stood a chance.

He knew what he wanted. (Or rather who he wanted.) Nothing would stand in his way. He might have to break a few rules. But, if this worked, he could finally have the chance to be with someone who brought legitimate happiness to his life. And he wouldn't let that go.

Based on that logic, he _had to_ get into that drag show. Begin blending himself into her life. Being there for her beyond just the superpowers.

However, waltzing into that club as Adrien wasn't an option. He'd attract too much attention.

He needed someone on the inside. An accomplice. Another bleeding heart romantic who could understand Chat's feelings, and not question the boldness of his actions. In fact, he'd probably squeal with delight.

Jumping down from his ledge, Chat Noir kept to the shadows as he moved across the street and towards the front door.

The little plastic sign in the window said 'Closed' and the lights were part of the way dimmed. However, when he tried the door handle, it opened. As quiet as only cats can be, he stepped inside. His presence being announced only due to the string of jingle bells tied to the interior doorknob. Noticing that the floor was wet and freshly mopped, Chat Noir stayed near the door, not wanting to track in any footprints.

Leo had a headphone in one ear, and was humming along to the music while he finished mopping the cafe floors.

"Sorry sugar, we're closed." He called over his shoulder, not turning around to see who exactly had waltzed in, and continued his cleaning.

"Actually, I'm here to see you." Purred a deep masculine voice.

Leo stopped mopping instantly, but didn't turn around just yet. Oh those spoken words were enough to make his heart sing with possibilities.

Drawing in a deep and steadying breath, he turned his eyes skyward, closed them, and prayed out-loud to whatever deity would listen.

"Please oh please oh please. Tall, dark and handsome. Tall, dark and handsome. Just do this for me one time, and I swear we'll talk more."

Finished with his prayer, he briefly fussed with his hair before turning around and laid eyes on the man standing at the door.

The breath he had held, was suddenly sucked from his lungs in a gut-wrenching gasp.

Well, two outta three ain't all bad.

"Holy gay god in heaven. It's you! In the…" His voice dropped lower as he mumbled the rest of his words. "… in the perfectly proportionate muscular flesh. Holy hot damn..."

Leo had never seen the feline superhero up close before. That suit accentuated every rippling muscle like he was carved out of black obsidian.

"Well, you really are the definition of a S&M wet dream, aren't you?" Leo sassed, sucking on his bottom lip.

Chat Noir smirked at the comment. He'd certainly heard worse.

"I don't get to choose the outfit."

Leo waved away the dismissive comment. "Well, it's a look honey. I assure you."

Raising an eyebrow and putting a hand against the side of his mouth, as if trying not to spill a big secret, Leo teasingly whispered, "Curious minds would love to know, pussycat. Just how far _does_ that zipper go down?"

Chat Noir touched the golden bell at his throat. Dropping his voice to a low teasing purr.

"As far as I want."

Leo's smile tripled in size. "Yow!" As he began fanning himself with his hand. "Have mercy. My poor gay heart."

Leaning heavily against the handle of the mop, Leo channeled his inner Cinderella and, in voice filled with Disney hope, he asked:

"Please tell me you're here to sweep me off my feet, and take me away from this cruel world?"

Chat Noir's smile brightened. "Not this time. I'm sorry."

"Tease." Leo scoffed and turned away. He dunked the mop head into the wash bucket, rang it out and started mopping once again. All the while humming a few verses of 'Someday my Prince will come.'

As much as Chat Noir enjoyed these little bouts with Leo, he needed to be getting back to the matter at hand.

"Leo, I think… I think I need your help."

Leo glanced up. " _Moi?_ What could I possibly do for you?"

"Well, umm… you see. We have this mutual friend, and I… Well I…"

Leo gave him a curious look. Surprised to see the notably outspoken superhero tongue-tied.

"Spit it out darling." he encouraged the other man.

Finding his resolve, Chat Noir did just that. "I need you to sneak me into your drag club this weekend."

God it sounded awful leaving his lips. Borderline stalker.

Leo tilted his head to the side in an inquisitive manner. "I mean, sure, pussycat. No problem there. But, I gotta know, what for?"

Chat Noir shifted back and forth on his feet. His nerves were getting the better of him.

"There's… umm… someone in there that I want to see." He admitted shyly.

"Who exactly?" Leo asked, doing a wide sweep with his mop across the floor.

Chat Noir fidgeted with his hands before responding. He had to put his trust in Leo. It was the only way this could work.

When he finally spoke, his voice was confident, as if saying her name out loud felt like a confession.

"Marinette."

Leo's mop clattered to the floor. Echoing loudly in the small space. He ripped his headphone out of his ear and stared wide-eyed at the wayward superhero.

Dumbfound, he fumbled with his words.

"M-Marinette? My Marinette? What the? Fuckin'... What?"

Tucking a nervous hand behind his head, Chat Noir nodded. "Yeah… I know. But, you see, I kinda…"

"… you love her?" Leo interrupted enthusiastically. His voice breathy and gasping with the shock of it all. This was like the best romance novel ever being played out before him. Forget Disney, this was real life.

"I… erm… I like her." Chat Noir admitted shyly. Not ready to use the other L word.

That was good enough for Leo to jump into all kinds of conclusions.

"Oh my god. Oh my good god. That means, oh my god. That means it was you! Yes, you're the one who's text messages she was all schoolgirl crush smiling at." He snapped his fingers in confidence. "I frickin' knew it! I know that smile. Freakin' called it."

Chat Noir felt his heart skip a beat. ' _She's really smiling at my messages?'_

Glancing up and down at the physical wet dream that was Chat Noir, Leo shook his head from side to side. A bit of bitter sass coating his tongue.

"I mean, jeez. I can't. I just, I literally can't with that girl…" Hand on his heart, he felt his knees buckle slightly.

Chat tilted his head in confusion at Leo's internal monologue.

Muttering to himself, Leo tried to make sense of it all. "How the frick…? How does she fucking do it? They're coming out of the woodworks. I mean, who's next? Mr. freaking Universe? I swear to God… If only the rest of us could be so lucky..."

"Umm… Leo?" Chat Noir questioned.

Leo held up a hand to silence him. "Give me a minute will ya? This is a lot of info to process."

Chat Noir nodded. Giving Leo his moment.

After several long seconds, Leo finally spoke up. "So, you like her, do you? Is that really how it's gonna be?" Not completely convinced that Paris' known flirty feline superhero was serious about settling down.

"Yeah, I really do." Chat Noir responded, smiling to himself at the thought of actually really liking her and admitting to it. Wondering where it would go. What it could lead to. Could she ever like him back? Would it all work out?

Leo recognized that dopey smile. Fuckin'-a, it was the real deal. And then sighed to himself, a bit jealous.

"Okay, I have to know. How in the hell did the two of you even meet? I mean, I assume you're not a superhero 24/7? Do you have a sexy face to go along with that gagging body? Or is that still one of the great mysteries of the 21st century?" He sassed.

Chat Noir straightened up a bit. "My secret identity is remaining a secret. At least, for now." He confirmed.

"So, she doesn't know who you are…" He gestured at Chat Noir from head to toe. "... under all this?"

Chat Noir shook his head.

Okay. Well, time to be a GBFF.

"If I help you, then you gotta know that if you hurt her, I swear on my Christian Louboutin pumps, that I will find you, and make you wear that tail as a noose. M'kay?"

Chat Noir chuckled and nodded. "I believe you."

Satisfied with his warning, Leo's thoughts retired back to the details.

"Okay, so I get you in. Easy peezy. Now, what's your strategy hmm? How are you going to woo her?" Leo asked mischievously.

Chat Noir hesitated. "Umm, I figured I'd go in and, I dunno, buy her a drink? Or something?"

Leo rolled his eyes and huffed dramatically.

"No? Is that wrong?" Chat Noir asked. Looking for any advice.

"Oh good god. Must I teach you straight boys everything?" Leo explained. "Here's what you do darling. I assume someone, such as yourself, is not afraid to dance a little?" He shimmied a bit to emphasize his point.

He paused for Chat Noir to acknowledge with a curt nod.

"Perfect. Then, here's what you do. You find her out on the dance floor. Wait for the perfect opportunity. Bright lights. Pounding music. Let her dance with you without even knowing that it's you. She'll never expect it. And then boom, snap, kapow, fireworks."

"Oh, you're good." Chat Noir countered playfully.

Hand on his hip, Leo threw back his shoulders and brushed his collar with the back of his nails.

"Stick with me pussycat and you'll do just fine. I'll get you into that club. But the rest is up to you. Don't fuck it up."

* * *

_**Author's Note: Oh I absolutely loved writing that scene with Leo and Chat Noir. And yes, I might watch a bit too much of RuPaul's Drag Race XD. Such a silly, fun chapter. Death by cat puns lol. Anywho, hi everyone! How are you? How are things? Comment and say hi. Thank you for reading. Oh yeah, I have a beta reader now. Woo!** _


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